ing-room, Dermot reached the door first and held up his hand to stop
them.

"Gentlemen, one moment, please," he said. Then he looked out to satisfy
himself that the domestic was out of hearing and continued: "I'd be obliged
if during supper you'd make no allusion before the servants to what has
happened today. Afterwards I shall have something to say to you in
confidence that will explain this request of mine."

The others looked at him in surprise but readily agreed. Before they left
the room Daleham noticed the Hindu engineer's absence for the first time.

"By Jove, I'd forgotten Chunerbutty," he exclaimed. "I wonder where he is?
Perhaps he doesn't know we're going to have supper. I'd better send the boy
to tell him."

"Indeed no, he is fery well where he is," hiccoughed Parry, who, seated by
a table on which drinks had been placed, had not been idle. "This is not a
night for black men, look you."

"Yes, Daleham, Parry's right," said Granger. "Let us keep to our own colour
tonight. Things might be said that wouldn't be pleasant for an Indian to
hear."

"Forgive my putting a word in, Daleham," added Dermot. "But I have a very
particular reason, which I'll explain afterwards, for asking you to leave
Chunerbutty out."

"Yes, we don't want a damned Bengali among us tonight, Fred," said a young
planter bluntly.

"Oh, very well; if you fellows would rather I didn't ask him I won't,"
replied their host. "But I'm afraid his feelings will be hurt at being left
out when we're celebrating my sister's safe return. He's such an old
friend."

"Oh, hang his feelings! Think of ours," cried another of the party.

"All right. Have it your own way. Let's go in to supper," said the host.

The hastily improvised meal was a merry feast, and the loud voices and the
roars of laughter rang out into the silent night and reached the ears of
Chunerbutty sitting in his bungalow eating his heart out in bitterness and
jealousy. Noreen, presiding at one end of the long table, was the queen of
the festival and certainly had never enjoyed any supper in London as much
as this impromptu meal. General favourite as she always was with every man
in the district, this night there was added universal gladness at her
escape and the feeling of satisfaction that the outrage on her had been so
promptly avenged. While the girl was pleased with the warmth and sincerity
of the congratulations showered upon her, she was secretly delighted to see
the hig