“But consider, Miss North. It is no obscure future that the favoured damsel will be called upon to share. In time she will clothe her _jampanis_ at Simla in scarlet, and by-and-by, if she does what he tells her, she will sport the Crown of India on a neat coloured ribbon.” “I think it will be well for me to take him in hand,” Mabel persisted. “For goodness’ sake, Mab, don’t make matters worse by importing the celebrated smile into the affair!” cried Dick. “Worse? Dick, you are ungrateful. When Mr Burgrave has found himself mistaken in one matter of importance, he will be less cocksure in others.” “I don’t know about that,” said Georgia. “And take care, Mab. It’s dangerous playing with edged tools.” “Then I will take the risk. Reverence your heroic sister, Dick, willing to sacrifice herself for the sake of your career.” “And if the worst come to the worst, the prospective glories of the viceregal throne will gild the pill,” said Fitz. CHAPTER II. “LIFE IS REAL; LIFE IS EARNEST.” “Oh, Georgie, I do so want a good long talk.” It was the morning after Mabel’s arrival, and she had settled herself on the verandah with her work, a laudable pretence in which no one had ever seen her set a stitch. After Dick had ridden away, she yawned a good deal, and looked out more than once disconsolately over the desert in search of entertainment, which failed to present itself, and Georgia had her household duties to perform before she could devote herself to amusing her sister-in-law. Mabel had several distant glimpses of her laying down the law to submissive servants, and paying surprise visits in the compound, but at last she mounted the steps, threw aside her sun-hat, and bringing out a work-basket, spread a little pile of delicate cambric upon the table before her. “Talk, then,” she said, with a pin in her mouth. “But you are sure we shan’t be interrupted? Have you quite done?” “I think we are safe. I have visited the cook-house and the dairy, interviewed the gardener, arranged about the horses’ and cow’s food as well as our own, and physicked all the invalids in the neighbourhood. So begin, Mab.” “Well, don’t you want to know my real reasons for coming out?” “I thought we heard them last night--such as they are.” “How nasty you are, Georgie! Didn’t you guess that there were other reasons behind, reserved for your private ear, and not to be exposed to Dick’s ribaldry? The truth is, I was hungering and thirsting for reality, and that’s why I came.” “My beloved Mab, is England a world of shadows?”