nt one, for it took the shape of
Kendrew. Now Kendrew, as I have said, was a good fellow enough, yet
this was the last evening I should spend here for some time. Kendrew
was all very well at his own place or at mine--but somehow I didn't want
him here, at any rate not to-day, added to which he was a good-looking
chap, and lively--a novelty too. There, you see--I am not above owning
to my own small meannesses. It transpired moreover that I was the
indirect agency through which he was there, for the first thing he said
on seeing me was:

"There you are, Glanton. Thought I'd ride up and see how you were
getting on, and when I got to your place they told me you had come down
here. So I thought I'd come on and find you, and take the opportunity
of making Major Sewin's acquaintance at the same time. Nothing like
getting to know one's neighbours, and there ain't so many of them, eh?"

"Glad you did," I answered, shaking hands with him as heartily as ever.
Yet at bottom, that "neighbour" idea struck unpleasantly. Kendrew as a
neighbour was all very well, and I nailed him as such--for myself, but
confound it, I didn't want him getting too "neighbourly" here; and that,
too, just as I was going away myself for a time. And then I realised,
more fully than ever, what it meant to me to be fulfilling the role of a
sort of little Providence to these people. Now Kendrew would lay
himself out to do that during my absence, and in short, on my return I
might find, to use a vulgar syllogism, that my own nose had been most
effectually put out of joint.

They had taken to him already, and were on the best of terms--I could
see that. Kendrew was one of those jolly, happy-go-lucky souls that
people do take to on sight, and he had youth on his side. Moreover my
misgivings were in no wise dispelled by the look of surprised
whole-hearted admiration which came into his face at sight of Aida
Sewin. There was no mistaking this, for if there is one thing I pride
myself on it is a faculty for reading every expression of the human
countenance no matter how swift and fleeting such may be. Perhaps it is
that constant intercourse with savages has endowed me with one of their
most unfailing characteristics, but, at any rate, there it is.

"We're going to have a storm," said the Major, looking upward. "Aida--
Glanton--you're only just in time. You too, Mr Kendrew. You'll stay
the night of course?"

Kendrew answered that he'd be delighte