"How could I, when I had just told you--shouted it out before everybody? But I hid behind Mrs Antony and watched you go. I--I kissed my hand to you," shamefacedly. "And I was bustled off, and never knew! Dear one, you have only yourself and my stupidity to thank if you marry a failure. What might I not have done if I had known you cared!" "Perhaps you might not have known it then as well as you do now," whispered Honour shyly. "It--it must be you, you know, not your success, or----" "So it is! But you won't insist on my remaining a failure always, for I'm hanged if I do. With you to inspire--to help----" Could it be the silent, reserved Honour whose transfigured face was raised to his. "Oh, you will let me, you think I can?" she breathed. "I wanted, so dreadfully, to help people when I first came out, but no one seemed to want it--or else they just asked me to marry them----" "But so have I. At least, that was my intention." "Oh, you! But you are different. And I may try to help?" A deprecating ayah, who had been making signs in vain from the verandah, advanced in desperation. "Lady Memsahib done say wish done see Missy Sahib," she murmured, with downcast eyes. * * * * * * "Well, is it all serene?" inquired Charteris, as Gerrard returned to their quarters that night. "All right--thanks to you, Bob." "Oh, shut up! Seventh heaven?" "Seventy times seventh." "I believe you, my boy! Papa and mamma agreeable?" "They were most kind. Sir Arthur would have preferred you, Bob--I can't help seeing that--but he was quite decent. I even saw poor little Mrs Cowper for a moment. She cried, and said how glad she was." "Uncommon affecting! And she, herself?" "She's--she's--I can't express what she is, even to you, Bob. Hang it! I believe I could talk of her all night, and get no nearer. She is an angel from heaven." "Question is, has she made up her mind at last--no more shilly-shallying? Hope I don't intrude in asking it." "Made up her mind---- Are you trying to throw doubts----? Oh, I see. But it's a thousand years since then, Bob. You yourself could have no doubt, if you saw her." "All right; I'm quite satisfied. If a doleful beggar like yourself can feel free from doubt----" "I could no more doubt her than the sun at noon. Bob, I'll tell you. She will go with me to Central India when Sir Edmund goes." Charteris sat up in his chair. "Nonsense!" he said sharply. "What folly is this? You are talking of leaving Granthistan?" "I had made up my mind to it before you came to me this afternoon, and she agrees with me that it is the right thing." "My dear fellow, you don't know. I was talking to the G.-G.'s military secretary to-night, and he let slip that there would be a local majority for you at the next distribution of honours. If you leave Granthistan, of course that falls through." "Then I must wait till it comes in the natural course of things."