“Yes, and that is my only comfort. I was hurt, and therefore I am here. No, on second thoughts, I don’t even envy Anstruther. He did the work, but I have basely annexed the reward. To have rescued you was happiness enough for him. I, who was unsuccessful, am consoled by finding myself under the same roof with you for a fortnight. That is enough for me.” “How nice of you to say so!” Mabel rose. “Then I can leave you alone quite happily, and go and help Georgia?” “Miss North, you are not going already? What have I said to drive you out of the room? Do you want me to pine away in melancholy solitude? After all, I did try to rescue you, as you were kind enough to say just now; but it will need your constant society and conversation to keep me from brooding over my failure.” “I’m afraid my society won’t be very cheerful,” said Mabel, resuming her seat with a sigh. “You see, I can’t help feeling that what happened was a good deal my fault. If I had only told what I knew----” “Well?” asked Mr Burgrave anxiously, as she paused. “Ah, but if I had, you would not have believed it,” was the unexpected response, “any more than you would now.” “Do you think I should be so rude as to question your word?” “You will when I tell you that I know the men who tried to carry me off were agents of Bahram Khan’s.” “You have evidence to support this very serious charge, I presume? Are you able to identify the men?” “I suppose so; I haven’t tried yet. But, Mr Burgrave, I’m going to tell you something that only my sister-in-law knows--not even my brother, for I wouldn’t let her say anything to him. Bahram Khan did want to--to marry me.” “What?” cried the Commissioner, starting up again. “You don’t mean to say that he has ever ventured to--to suggest such a thing to you?” Rage and disgust strove for the mastery in his voice. “Oh no, he has never said anything to me; but the day I was at Dera Gul the women talked of nothing else.” “Oh, the women!” Mr Burgrave spoke quite calmly again, and with evident relief. “You must remember that Bahram Khan is a good deal more advanced in his notions than the other Sardars of the province, and would like to imitate our ways with regard to ladies--English ladies, I mean. That is just the sort of thing that native women can’t understand. Any polite attention he might offer you would be misconstrued by them into a cause for violent jealousy. Their mistake made things extremely unpleasant for you at the moment, no doubt; but you need not torment yourself with thinking that he had any such preposterous idea in his head.” Mr Burgrave did not actually say that a lady accustomed to universal admiration was liable to perceive it even where it did not exist, but this was what Mabel understood his slightly repressive tone to imply. Ignorant of the Eye-of-the-Begum’s secret mission to Georgia, she could not defend herself against the suggestion, and she grew crimson.