“If your life--any of our lives--are saved, it will all be due to him!” she cried, and the Commissioner marvelled at the lack of sequence so characteristic of a woman’s mind. He led Georgia through the labyrinth of curiously involved passages and courts at the back of the club-house, in which Government stores and stray pieces of private property were lying about pell-mell, until they could be separated and reduced to some sort of order by the overworked officer in charge of the housing arrangements. Mabel followed with Rahah, and at last they reached a tiny oblong courtyard not far from the rear wall of the fort. Here, in the middle of the paved space, was Mrs Hardy, sorting a confused heap of her possessions with the assistance of an elderly Christian native, Mr Hardy’s bearer. “Oh, my dear! my poor dear!” she cried, running to Georgia, and for a moment the two women held each other locked in a close embrace. “This room,” said Mr Burgrave, who seemed to feel it incumbent upon him to do the honours of the place, “has been allotted to Miss Graham, as it communicates by a passage with the Colonel’s quarters in the next courtyard. The two on the right are Mr and Mrs Hardy’s, the two on the left are intended for you, Mrs North, and the one opposite is for you, Mabel. I believe the arrangement was suggested to Colonel Graham by Major North himself.” Mrs Hardy raised her head and gave him a fiery glance. “Miss North, will you be so kind as to request Mr Burgrave to go away?” she said viciously. “No; wait, please,” said Georgia. “Which of the officers were with my husband when he--was hurt, Mr Burgrave?” “There were several, I believe, but the only one not seriously wounded was Mr Beltring, and he will not come in until the Shah Nawaz contingent gets here--if at all.” “If--when he comes, I should like to see him, please,” said Georgia, and the Commissioner departed. “Now come in, dear, and lie down,” said Mrs Hardy. “Your rooms are ready, and I see Rahah, like a thoughtful girl, has even brought the cat to make it look homelike. Anand Masih will bring you some tea in a minute, and then I hope you will just go to bed again.” “Dear Mrs Hardy, you have given us all your own furniture,” protested Georgia, recognising a well-worn writing-table; but Mrs Hardy shook her head vigorously. “Nonsense, my dear, nonsense! We had far more brought in than we can possibly use in this little place, and as soon as I have seen you settled, Anand Masih and I will look after my two rooms. Mr Hardy is helping Dr Tighe in the reading-room, which they have turned into a hospital, or I know he would have come to see if he could do anything for you.” Never silent for a moment, Mrs Hardy administered tea without milk to Mabel and Georgia, and then tried vainly again to induce them to go to bed. Just as she was departing in despair, Flora Graham ran in.