nd him. They were covertly watching her, but when,
catching the engineer's eye, she bowed to him, the fat man leant forward
and stared boldly at her. She guessed him to be the Rajah of Lalpuri, who
had been pointed out to her once at the Lieutenant-Governor's _durbar_ at
Jalpaiguri.

That evening a note from Chunerbutty, telling her that his father was
better though still in a precarious state, was left at her hotel. But the
engineer did not call on her.

The ball on the Thursday night at Government House was all that Noreen
anticipated it would be. Among the hundreds of guests there were a few
Indian men of rank and a number of Parsis of both sexes--the women adding
bright colours to the scene by the beautiful hues of their _saris_, as the
silk shawls worn over their heads are called. During the evening Noreen saw
Chunerbutty standing at the door of the ballroom with the fat man, who was
now adorned with jewels and wearing a magnificent diamond _aigrette_ in his
_puggri,_ and gloating with a lustful gaze over the bared necks and bosoms
of the English ladies. The native of India, where the females of all races
veil their faces, looks on white women, who lavishly display their charms
to the eyes of all beholders, as immodest and immoral. And he judges
harshly the freedom--the sometimes extreme freedom--of intercourse between
English wives and men who are not their husbands.

Later in the evening, when Noreen was sitting in the central lounge with
Captain Bain during an interval, Chunerbutty approached her with the fat
man. Coming up to her alone the engineer said:

"Miss Daleham, may I present His Highness the Rajah of Lalpuri to you?"

Noreen felt Captain Bain stiffen, but she replied courteously:

"Certainly, Mr. Chunerbutty."

The Rajah stepped forward, and on being introduced held out a fat and
flabby hand to her, speaking in stiff and stilted English, for he did not
use it with ease. He spoke only a few conventional sentences, but all the
while Noreen felt an inward shiver of disgust. For his bloodshot eyes
seemed to burn her bared flesh, as he devoured her naked shoulders and
breast with a hot and lascivious stare. After replying politely but briefly
to him she turned to the engineer and enquired after his father's health.
The music beginning in the ball-room for the next dance gave her a welcome
excuse for cutting the interview short, as Bain sprang up quickly and
offered her his arm. Bowing she moved away w