galloped to meet them and, saluting, told them that the
Maharajah and the rest had taken refuge from the storm in a village a
couple of miles away. Then from the _kamarband_, or broad cloth
encircling his waist like a sash, he produced two bottles of soda-water
which he opened and gave to them. The liquid was warm, but nevertheless
was acceptable to their parched throats.

They followed their guide at a gallop and soon were being welcomed by
the rest of the party in a small village of low mud huts. A couple of
kneeling camels, bubbling, squealing and viciously trying to bite
everyone within reach, were being unloaded by some of the Maharajah's
servants. Other attendants were spreading a white cloth on the ground by
a well under a couple of tall palm-trees and laying on it an excellent
cold lunch for the Europeans, with bottles of champagne standing in
silver pails filled with ice.

As soon as his anxiety on Mrs. Norton's account was relieved by her
arrival, His Highness, who as an orthodox Hindu could not eat with his
guests, begged them to excuse him and, being helped with difficulty on
his horse, rode slowly off, still shaken and sorely bruised by his fall.
His nobles and officials accompanied him.

After lunch all went to inspect the heap of slain boars laid on the
ground in the shade of a hut. Wargrave's kill had been added to it. Much
to the subaltern's delight its tusk proved to be the longest and finest
of all; and he was warmly congratulated by the more experienced
pigstickers on his success. Shortly afterwards the beaters went into the
_nullah_ again; and a few more runs added another couple of boars to the
bag. Then, after iced drinks while their saddles were being changed back
on to their own horses, the Britishers mounted and started on their
homeward journey.

Without quite knowing how it happened Wargrave found himself riding
beside Mrs. Norton behind the rest of the party. On the way back they
chatted freely and without restraint, like old friends. For the
incidents of the day had served to sweep away formality between them and
to give them a sense of long acquaintanceship and mutual liking. And,
when the time came for Mrs. Norton to separate from the others as she
reached the spot where the road to the Residency branched off, the
subaltern volunteered to accompany her.

It had not taken them long to discover that they had several tastes in
common.

"So you like good music?" she said after a chanc