hopeful, and the sweeper's youngster looks like nothing on earth in
bloomers and my old golf jersey!"

"The _saice_, too, is delighted with those jackets you turned out from
my old red flannel petticoat. The twins are as snug in them as a pair of
kittens," laughed Mrs. Bright.

"I want to hear no more of that rot about your wanting work while I am
above ground," said Mr. Bright, looking up from his newspaper and
regarding his daughter severely. "It will be time enough to let you go
when some fellow comes along and wants to carry you off; but to let you
go and tinker at other people's jobs is not at all to my liking when you
have a home and duties to perform with regard to it."

And that was the end of all argument. Not having a combative nature, nor
a taste for debate, Honor adjourned to the store cupboard and gave
Kareem the stores for the day.

"Please be obdurate in the matter of the _ghi_[17], Honey," was her
mother's parting injunction. "He would swim in it if you allowed him.
Two _chattaks_ for curry are ample. The dear rascal is not above saving
the surplus, if he gets it, and selling it back to me."

[Footnote 17: Butter converted into oil by boiling.]

"Memsahib's orders" admitted of no palava, and Kareem who was faithful
unto death, but not above commercial dishonesty, submitted to the
mandate with the air of a martyr. "Whatever I am told, that will I do;
but if the food is not to the sahib's liking, I have nothing to say."
Having expressed his views on the matter of his restrictions he withdrew
with his tray full of stores, a bearded, black-browed ruffian in
appearance, clad in a jacket and loin-cloth, but of a character capable
of the highest self-sacrifice and devotion.

It was still early enough after her morning's duties were over, for a
tramp along the Panipara Jhil for snipe, the sport Honor most enjoyed
and at which she was gradually becoming proficient. She would be all
alone, that bright January day, as Tommy, her faithful and devoted
lover, was prevented by his duties from waiting on her.

Jack, too, was at work down at the Courts,--not that he was likely to
offer his escort in these days of his unhappy bondage to Mrs. Fox; but
Honor's thoughts strayed persistently to him with anxious concern. He
had returned from Calcutta after Christmas looking jaded and depressed.
Tommy had been unable to make anything of him till, one day, his
attention was caught by a paragraph in the _Statesman_ conc