er than usual when she
spoke to the girl.

"Where is Mr. Chunerbutty today, dear?" she asked after lunch from where
she sat on the verandah beside Dermot. Noreen was standing further along it
with Payne, watching the play on the tennis-court in front of the club
house.

"He isn't very well," replied the girl. "He's suffering from fever."

"Oh, really? I am so sorry to hear that," exclaimed the older woman. "So
sad for you, dear. However did you force yourself to leave him?"

Noreen looked at her in surprise.

"Why not? We could do nothing for him," she said. "We sent him soup and
jelly made by our cook, and Fred went to see him before we started. But he
didn't want to be disturbed."

Mrs. Rice's manner grew even more sweetly sympathetic.

"I _am_ so sorry," she said. "How worried you must be!"

The girl stared at her in astonishment. She had never expected to find Mrs.
Rice seriously concerned about any one, and least of all the Hindu, who was
no favourite of hers.

"Oh, there's really nothing to worry about," she exclaimed impatiently.
"Fred said he hadn't much of a temperature."

"Yes, I daresay. But you can't help being anxious, I know. I wonder that
you were able to bring yourself to come here at all, dear," said the older
woman in honeyed tones.

"But why shouldn't I?"

Noreen's eyebrows were raised in bewilderment. She felt instinctively that
there was some hidden unfriendliness at the back of Mrs. Rice's sympathetic
words. She felt that Dermot was watching her.

"Oh, forgive me, dear. I am afraid I'm being indiscreet. I forgot," said
the other woman. She rose from her chair and turned to the man beside her.

"Major, do take me out to see how the coolies are getting on with the polo
ground. I hope when it's finished you'll come here to play regularly. These
boys want someone to show them the game. You military men are the only ones
who know how it should be played."

She put up her green-lined white sun-umbrella and led the way down the
verandah steps. With a puckered brow Noreen watched her and her companion
until they were out of sight round the corner of the little wooden
building.

"What does Mrs. Rice mean?" she demanded. "I'm sure there's something
behind her words. She never pretended to like Mr. Chunerbutty. Why should
she be concerned about him now? Why does she seem to expect me to stay
behind to nurse him? Of course I would, if he were dangerously ill. But
he's not."

Payne glanced