r which they passed for fear of snakes they reached and
lay down on their beds, over each of which a _punkah_ was suspended from
a cross-beam supported by two upright posts sunk in the ground. One rope
moved both _punkahs_, and the motive power was supplied by a coolie
who, salaaming to the sahibs and seating himself on the ground, picked
up the end of the rope and began to pull. Raymond put out the lamp.

Wargrave stared up at the moon for a while. Then he said:

"I say, Ray; didn't Mrs. Norton look lovely to-night? Didn't that dress
suit her awfully well?"

"Oh, go to sleep, old man. We've got to get up in a few hours for this
confoundedly early parade. Goodnight," growled the adjutant, turning on
his side and closing his eyes.

But he listened for some time to his friend humming "The Love Song of
Har Dyal" again! and not until Frank was silent did he doze off. An hour
later he woke up suddenly, bathed in perspiration and devoured by
mosquitoes; for the _punkahs_ were still--the coolie had gone to sleep.
He called to the man and aroused him, then before shutting his eyes
again he looked at his companion. The moon shone full on Wargrave's
face. He was sleeping peacefully and smiling. Raymond stared at him for
a few minutes. Then he muttered inconsequently:

"Confound the woman!"

And closing his eyes resolutely he fell asleep.

In the days that elapsed before the shoot at Marwa, Wargrave rode every
afternoon to the Residency with the _syce_ carrying his violin case,
except when tennis was to be played. In their small community this
could not escape notice and comment--not that it occurred to him to try
to avoid either. The Resident did not object to the frequency of his
visits; and Frank saw no harm in his friendship with Mrs. Norton. But
others did; and the remarks of the two ladies of his regiment on the
subject were venomously spiteful. But their censure was reserved for the
one they termed "that shameless woman"; for like everyone else they were
partial to Wargrave and held him less to blame.

His brother officers, although being men they were not so quick to nose
out a scandal, could not help noticing his absorption in Mrs. Norton's
society. One afternoon his Double Company Commander, Major Hepburn,
walked into the compound of Raymond's bungalow and on the verandah
shouted the usual Anglo-Indian caller's demand:

"Boy! _Koi hai_?" (Is anyone there?)

A servant hurried out and salaaming answered:

"_Ad