When Noreen Daleham rose half-stunned from the ground where her pony had flung her and realised that she was surrounded by wild elephants she was terrified. The stories of their ferocity told her at the club flashed across her mind, and she felt that she was in danger of a horrible death. When the huge animals closed in and advanced on her from all sides she gave herself up for lost. At that awful moment a voice fell on her ears and she heard the words: "Don't be alarmed. You are in no danger." In bewilderment she looked up and saw to her astonishment and relief a white man sitting on the neck of one of the great beasts. "Oh, I am so glad!" she exclaimed. "I was terrified. I thought that these were wild elephants." Dermot smiled. "So they are," he said. "But they won't hurt you. Can I help you? What are you doing here? Have you lost your way in the jungle?" By this time Noreen had recovered her presence of mind and began to realise the situation. It was natural that this man should be astonished to find an Englishwoman alone and in distress in the forest. Her appearance was calculated to cause him to wonder--and a feminine instinct made her hands go up to her untidy hair, as she suddenly thought of her dishevelled state. She picked up her hat and put it on. "I've had a fall from my pony," she explained, trying to reduce her unruly tresses to order. "It shied at the elephants and threw me. Then I suppose it bolted." She looked around but could see nothing except elephants, which were regarding her solemnly. "But where have you come from? Are you far from your camp?" persisted Dermot. "Shall I take you to it?" "Oh, we are not in camp," replied Noreen. "I live on a tea-garden. It is quite near. I can walk back, thank you, if you are sure that the elephants won't do me any harm." But as she spoke she felt her knees give way under her from weakness, and she was obliged to sit down on the ground. The shock of the fall and the fright had affected her more than she realised. Dermot laid his hand on Badshah's head, and the animal knelt down. "I'm afraid you are not fit to walk far," said Dermot. "I must take you back." As he spoke he slipped to the ground. From a pocket in the pad he extracted a flask of brandy, with which he filled a small silver cup. "Drink this," he said, holding it to her lips. "It will do you good." Noreen obeyed and drank a little of the spirit. Then, before she could protest, she was lifted in Dermot's arms and placed on the pad on Badshah's back. This cool disposal of her took her breath away, but to her surprise she felt that she rather liked it. There was something attractive in her new acquaintance's unconsciously authoritative manner. Replacing the flask he said: "Are you used to riding elephants?" She shook her head.