the temples. Yet all the round
world rolling up out of the darkness might have heard and seen all that
had passed between them.

"Oh," said William, unsteadily, snatching up the tea and toast, "I had
this made for you. It's stone-cold now. I thought you mightn't have
anything ready so early. 'Better not drink it. It's--it's stone-cold."

"That's awfully kind of you. It's just right. It's awfully good of you,
really. I'll leave my kids and goats with you and Mrs. Jim, and, of
course, any one in camp can show you about the milking."

"Of course," said William; and she grew pinker and pinker and statelier
and more stately, as she strode back to her tent, fanning herself with
the saucer.

There were shrill lamentations through the camp when the elder children
saw their nurse move off without them. Faiz Ullah unbent so far as to
jest with the policemen, and Scott turned purple with shame because
Hawkins, already in the saddle, roared.

A child escaped from the care of Mrs. Jim, and, running like a rabbit,
clung to Scott's boot, William pursuing with long, easy strides.

"I will not go--I will not go!" shrieked the child, twining his feet
round Scott's ankle. "They will kill me here. I do not know these
people."

"I say," said Scott, in broken Tamil, "I say, she will do you no harm.
Go with her and be well fed."

"Come!" said William, panting, with a wrathful glance at Scott, who
stood helpless and, as it were, hamstrung.

"Go back," said Scott quickly to William. "I'll send the little chap over
in a minute."

The tone of authority had its effect, but in a way Scott did not exactly
intend. The boy loosened his grasp, and said with gravity: "I did not
know the woman was thine. I will go." Then he cried to his companions,
a mob of three-, four-, and five-year-olds waiting on the success of his
venture ere they stampeded: "Go back and eat. It is our man's woman. She
will obey his orders."

Jim collapsed where he sat; Faiz Ullah and the two policemen grinned;
and Scott's orders to the cartmen flew like hail.

"That is the custom of the Sahibs when truth is told in their presence,"
said Faiz Ullah. "The time comes that I must seek new service. Young
wives, especially such as speak our language and have knowledge of the
ways of the Police, make great trouble for honest butlers in the matter
of weekly accounts."

What William thought of it all she did not say, but when her brother,
ten days later, came to camp for o