Harold met that look with one of affectionate encouragement; he was pleased with the spirit shown by his bride. “I could not let you go to any doubtful place,” he observed, “or let you do any really rough work; but I think that I have found an opening for you into a respectable house, where my young wifie is not likely to be exposed to any annoyance. Kripá Dé tells me that you would be welcomed by his aunt, a Kashmiri like himself, who would feel honoured by a visit from an English Mem Sahiba. She lives in a kind of fort on the other side of Talwandi.” “I think that I know the place,” said Alicia, “for there is only one house that looks in the least like a fort. It is high, and surrounded by walls. I have often longed to pass them and have a peep at the ladies within.” “The ladies within wish to have a peep of you, my love. The family is of high caste. I have made careful inquiries, and I think that in that house you may make your first attempt to begin mission work in Talwandi.” “But how am I to go? We have no gári like the ladies in Lahore and Amritsar, who visited no end of zenanas. Am I to go on foot, or ride father’s tattu, with no proper saddle?” “Robin will, I believe, answer that question for you,” replied Harold, with a glance at his brother. “It is time for me to let my cat out of the bag,” said Robin gaily. “I have given you no wedding present yet, Alicia, for I could not get it ready before. It is bigger than your clock, and is to have its siren—_inside_. It is made to go, and faster than ever a chimney-piece clock could go. It is not intended to strike, and yet strike it may if awkward urchins come in the way. In short—” “Behold it!” said Harold, as two men, supporting either end of a long pole on their swarthy shoulders, carried a doli into the veranda and set it down. The party went out to see it. “This is the Mission Miss Sahiba’s special conveyance,” observed Mr. Hartley. “In places like this where a gári is not to be found, or, if available, could hardly be used in the narrow, crowded streets, a doli is a most convenient vehicle.” Alicia praised her doli as much as she could, though thinking that a big square box had not much of grace or elegance to recommend it. She admired the pink print with which it was covered, and the neat green blinds at the sides. Alicia did not utter aloud the question in her mind, “I wonder how I shall pack myself into my box?” However, this is an art easily learned, and Alicia soon felt fairly at home in her doli. The men lifted the pole on their shoulders; and Robin, delighted with the success of his work and the thanks which it brought, paced with long strides beside it as it made its first trial trip. Mr. Hartley and Harold re-entered the bungalow and went to their several occupations.