trong right arm of an English lover could play ducks and drakes
with Destiny. One-half of the world, at least, still swears that she
was wrong, and her mistress and the other woman thought her despicable,
ridiculous, unenlightened. It was a hardship to them, to be endured with
dignity and patience, but none the less a hardship, that they should be
left and should have to die with this woman of the Ranks Below to keep
them company. She was an honest woman, or they would never have engaged
her and paid her passage all the way to India. But she was not of their
jat, and she was a fool. It happens, however, that her point of view
saved England for the English, and that the other point of view had
brought England to the brink of utter ruin.

"If you'd leave off talking about your truly tiresome lover, and would
pray to God, Jane," said Mrs. Leslie, "the rest of us might have a
chance to pray to God too! This isn't the time, let me tell you, to be
thinking of carnal love-affairs. Recall your sins, one by one, and ask
forgiveness for them."

In the gloom of the vault, poor Jane was quite invisible. The sound
of her snuffling and sobs was the only clue to her direction. But her
bridling was a thing that could be felt through the stuffy blackness,
and there was a ring in her retort that gave the lie to the tears that
she was shedding.

"The only sin I ask forgiveness for," she answered in a level voice, "is
having let Bill come to India alone. Pray to God, is it? Go on! Pray!
If Bill was here, he'd start on that stone door without no words
nor argument, unless some one tried to stop him. Then there'd be an
argument! And he'd get it open too. Bill's the kind that does his
prayin' afterward, and God helps men like Bill!"

"Well--I'm afraid that your Bill isn't here, and can't get here. So the
best thing that you can do is to pray and let us pray."

"I'll pray for Bill!" said Jane defiantly. "Bill don't know that I'm in
India, and he surely doesn't know I'm here. But if he knew--Oh, God! Let
him know! Tell him! He'd come so quick. He'd--snnff, snnff--he'd--why,
he'd ha' been here long ago! Dear God, tell Bill I'm here, that's all!"

V.

General Baines was in a position to be envied. No soldier worthy of his
salt is other than elated at the thought of war. Now for the proving
of his theories. Now for the fruit of all his tireless preaching and
inspection and preparing--the planned, pegged-out swoop to victory!

He kne