uriously over the sand.

"By Jove, she can ride!" exclaimed Wargrave admiringly. "I hope she'll
see the _nullah_. She's heading straight for it."

A shouted warning caused her to pull up almost on the brink; and in a
few minutes she joined the waiting group. Wargrave looked with interest
at her, as she sat on her panting horse talking to the Maharajah and the
other officers, who had dismounted.

Mrs. Norton was a decidedly graceful and pretty woman. The rounded
curves of her shapely figure were set off to advantage by her
riding-costume. Her eyes were especially attractive, greenish-grey eyes
fringed by long black lashes under curved dark brows contrasting with
the warm auburn tint of the hair that showed under her sunhat. Her
complexion was dazzlingly fair. Her mouth was rather large and
voluptuous with full red lips and even white teeth. Bewitching dimples
played in the pink cheeks. Even from a man like Wargrave, fresh from
England and consequently more inclined to be critical of female beauty
than were his comrades, who for many months had seen so few white women,
Mrs. Norton's good looks could justly claim full meed of admiration and
approval.

Accepting Captain Ross's aid she slipped lightly from her saddle to the
ground and on foot looked as graceful as she did when mounted. Raymond
brought his friend to her and introduced him.

Holding out a small and shapely hand in a dainty leather gauntlet she
said in a frank and pleasant manner:

"How do you do, Mr. Wargrave? You are a fortunate person to have been in
England so lately. I haven't seen it for nearly three years. Weren't you
sorry to leave it?"

"Not in the least, Mrs. Norton. I'd far sooner be doing this," he waved
his hand towards the horses and the open desert, "than fooling about
Piccadilly and the Park."

"Oh, but don't you miss the gaieties of town, the theatres, the dances?
And then the shops and the new fashions--but you're a man, and they'd
mean nothing to you."

The Maharajah broke in:

"Mrs. Norton, I think we had better mount. The beaters are going in; and
the _shikaris_ (hunters) tell me that the _nullah_ swarms with pig.
There are at least half a dozen rideable boar in it."

In pigsticking only well-grown boars are pursued, sows and immature
boars being unmolested.

Ross started forward to help Mrs. Norton on to her fresh pony; but
Wargrave refused to surrender the advantage of his proximity to her. So
it was into his hand she put