"You're not half grateful for your mercies," she retorted; "it ought to be rather a change to have a woman to pour out tea for you before a battle!" "Oh, it is a change," he smiled. She handed him a mug of blue and white enamel. "And is there going to be a battle?" "Not to-day," he said. "To-morrow?" "Probably." "And shall we all be killed?" "It's not impossible," he said gravely. She leant her lips down to her own brimming mug and looked across at him over its edge. "Don't you wish you were safe back in Sar?" she said. He shook his head as she lifted and drained the mug and set it down with a sigh of content. "I _was_ so thirsty. Isn't it grilling? Why did you make me wear these clothes? I can't see much sign of the snows. Isn't this tinned milk horrid? What's become of all the men? You don't seem to have kept many to look after me! Will you have an egg?" "Please," said Terrington to her last question. "Was that your bath and basin I had this morning?" she went on. "It was," he said. "I don't see why I should be clean at your cost," she demurred. "Oh, you're not," he assured her; "you're the only one in the force with time to be clean at all, and even you won't want to wash after to-morrow." "We shall all be killed, shan't we?" she asked mischievously. "Whether or not," he said drily; "we shall be too cold to have much use for water." "I can't imagine such a condition just now," she answered. "You'll be able to when you've crossed the Palári," said Terrington quietly. She twisted her chair sideways, put one hand above the other across the back of it, and leant her chin upon them both. She watched Terrington so for a few seconds while he finished his egg. Then she asked: "What have you done with Captain Walcot?" "He's commanding the advance-guard." "Miles and miles away?" "I hope so by now," he said. "Is _he_ going to fight to-day?" "No." "To-morrow? When we all do?" "Mir Khan permitting," said Terrington with a smile. "Will it be more dangerous where he is than where we shall be?" "No," said Terrington; "rather safer. He'll have a line of retreat." "Safer!" she echoed with astonishment; "then why didn't you send me with him?" Terrington looked at her thoughtfully as he inverted the tin of milk above his mug. "Pure selfishness," he said. "I wanted some one to pour out tea for me before the battles." "I don't see why you shouldn't speak the truth," she pouted. "I don't see why you should want it spoken if you know it so well," he said. "You were afraid to send me with him!" she thrust out sharply. "Was I?" he said, cutting off the drip of the milk with his spoon. "Yes! You were afraid he'd spend his time with me instead of looking after his men." Terrington pushed the kedgeri towards her persuasively, but she shook her head. "Do you know that Captain Walcot is in love with me?" she went on. "How should I?" he said, helping himself to the dish she had declined.