"I daresay I shall come across other game," said Hunt-Goring, bringing his eyes slowly back to Nick. Nick laughed. "It's not particularly plentiful here. You'll find it a waste of time hunting in these parts." "Oh, I have plenty of time at my disposal," smiled Hunt-Goring. Nick's eyes flickered over him. He also was smiling. "Perseverance deserves to be rewarded," he said. "And usually is," said Hunt-Goring. He held out his hand to Max. "Ah, Dr. Wyndham, I'm delighted to meet you again. You will be gratified to hear that, thanks to your skilful treatment, my thumb has mended quite satisfactorily." Max looked at the hand critically; he did not offer to take it. "I am--greatly gratified," he said. Hunt-Goring withdrew it, still smiling. "May I congratulate you on your engagement," he said. Max's mouth went down ironically. "Certainly if you feel so disposed," he said. Hunt-Goring laughed easily. "You young fellows have all the luck," he said. "When do you expect to be married?" "On Midsummer Day," said Max. "Really!" Hunt-Goring's laugh was silken in its softness. "Your plans are all cut and dried then. Yet, you know, 'there's many a slip,' etc." "Not under my management," said Max. He looked hard and straight into the other man's eyes, and turned aside. Nick had already joined his hostess, and was making gay conversation about nothing in particular. Noel came in late, acknowledged everyone with a deep salaam, and attached himself instantly to Olga. With relief she found that he was to take her in to dinner. He was in a mood of charming inconsequence, and under his easy guidance she gradually recovered from the shock of her enemy's appearance on the scene. "I hear on the best authority that General Bassett is expected in a fortnight," he told her. "We are going to treat him royally. You ladies will have to work hard." "Max will be on his way Home by then," said Olga, with a sigh. He laughed. "Well, I shall be left, and I shan't let you grizzle. We must organize a _fete_ week. You and I will be the head of the committee. I'll come round to-morrow, and we'll draw up a plan to submit to old Badgers; merely a matter of form, you know. He'll consent to anything. We will have a fancy-dress ball for one thing, and a picnic or two, and some races and gymkhanas. Perhaps we might manage some private theatricals." "Oh, we couldn't possibly!" protested Olga. "We could never get anything up in time." But Noel was not to be discouraged. He proceeded to sketch out a lavish programme of entertainments with such energy and ingenuity that at length he managed to infuse her with some of his enthusiasm, and the end of dinner came upon her as a surprise.