of some particular person. Suddenly his eyes met
Noreen's, and he promptly came straight to her table. He shook hands with
Mrs. Smith and bowed to the other ladies in the group, introduced his
companion, a new arrival to his battalion, and, securing a chair beside
Noreen, plunged into a light and animated conversation with her. The girl
could not help feeling a little pleased when she saw the looks of surprise
and annoyance on the faces of some of the women at the other tables. But
Charlesworth was not allowed to have it all his own way with her. Bain and
an Indian Army officer named Melville also claimed her attention. The
knowledge that we are appreciated tends to make most of us appear at our
best, and Noreen soon forgot her shyness and loneliness and became her
usual natural, bright self. Ida looked on indulgently and smiled at her
patronisingly, as though Noreen's little personal triumph were due to her.

Noreen slept soundly that night, and although she had meant to get up early
and see Kinchinjunga and the snows when the sun rose, it was late when her
hostess came to her room. After breakfast Ida took her out shopping. Only a
woman can realise what a delight it was to the girl, after being divorced
for a whole year from the sight of shops and the possibility of
replenishing her wardrobe, or purchasing the thousand little necessities of
the female toilet, to enter milliners' and dressmakers' shops where the
latest, or very nearly the latest, _modes_ of the day in hats and gowns
were to be seen.

Charlesworth came to lunch in a smart riding-kit, looking particularly
well-groomed and handsome. The girl was quite excited about the gymkhana,
and plied him with innumerable questions as to what she would have to do.
She learned that they were to enter for two affinity events. In one of
these the lady was to tilt with a billiard-cue at three suspended rings,
while the man, carrying a spear and a sword, took a tent-peg with the
former, threw the lance away, cut off a Turk's head in wood with the sword,
and then took another peg with the same weapon. The other competition was
named the Gretna Green Stakes, and in it the pair were to ride hand in hand
over three hurdles, dismount and sign their names in a book, then mount
again and return hand in hand over the jumps to the winning-post.

The polo-ground at Lebong that afternoon presented an animated scene,
filled with colour by the bright-hued garments of the thousands of