"By Jove, I don't wonder at that!" he interpolated with decision. "Will fence you in--with barbed wire!" "Oh--will they?" with a derisive laugh. "It is not very easy to keep Jimmy Fielder in bounds! Ask papa?" "See--they are all staring over here now," and she pointed with her parasol. "They are ready to tear my eyes out." "I'll take care of your beautiful and matchless eyes. You just leave them to me." "I can take pretty good care of myself, thank you. What do you think of Rajahpore, Captain Fielder?" "I adore it already." "What a ridiculous answer. Why?" "Because it has made me acquainted with you." "How can you be so silly?" "I was born so. Tell me, how do _you_ put in your time here?" "Oh--I sing a good deal, I have a wonderful voice--and I bicycle, and--I read--and play tennis." "Can you read--French?" "Why, of course." "Then I can lend you some ripping novels!" "No, thank you," rather stiffly; assume a virtue if you have it not. Dom had once laboured through a few French exercises, and could no more read a page than ride a steeplechase. But Jimmy was promptly taken in, and impressed. "Proper, good little girl! Well, I must confess--some of them--are--a bit--strong." "You would not lend them to your sisters, I presume?" adopting her well-known quarrelsome attitude, "though you offer them to _me_." "Oh, I've no sisters, thank the Lord! As to offering the books--you might have jumped at them. I did not know what sort you were. You see, a fellow never can tell----" "I see Verona looking this way. She is coming to fetch me----" "Er--is she your keeper? Has she got you on the chain?" "No; I should pity her if she had!" "Then you and I are in sympathy--a pair of bold, independent spirits. When shall I see you again--Dom?" "Perhaps to-morrow at the Club." "Oh, so you come to the Club. Hurrah!" "Yes, for books and tennis; but we are complete outsiders, as you will soon discover." "You will never be an outsider to me, Dom--already you have your place----" "What do you mean?" she demanded. "What place?" "Only the box seat in my heart." "Heart!" she repeated with a scornful laugh. "No one talks of hearts in these days--except the heroes of stories in penny magazines." As she spoke Dominga rose, and drew herself to her full height. She was two inches taller than Jimmy, who gazed at her in profound admiration. Yes; already he was caught and enthralled by her audacity and insolence, and entangled in the meshes of her splendid burnished hair. "Dom," said Verona as she joined her, "it is past six o'clock, and we must be going home." "Very well," assented Dominga, "I am ready." But she did not attempt to make her sister and "Jimmy" known to one another. No, she would not share the captive of her bow and spear--that is to say, eye and tongue--she was determined to keep him exclusively to herself. (Dom knew what girls did, being a most daring and successful poacher!)