"Dear, why should I?" said Nick.

She did not answer, though his flippant tone set her more or less at her
ease.

"Any more questions to ask?" enquired Nick, after a pause.

With an effort she overcame her reticence. "He has actually gone then?"

"Bag and baggage," said Nick.

"Nick, why?"

"I understand he never was a fixture," said Nick.

"No. I know. But--but--I didn't think of his going so soon," she
murmured.

"You don't seem pleased," said Nick.

"You see, I had got so used to him," she explained. "He was like a bit
of home."

"I'm sure he would be vastly flattered to hear you say so," said Nick.

She laughed rather dubiously. "Has Dad got another assistant then?"

"I don't know. Very likely. You had better ask him when you write."

"And he has gone back to Sir Kersley Whitton?" she ventured.

"My information does not extend so far as that," said Nick.

She turned her attention to the blaze of coloured fire below them, and
was silent for a space.

Suddenly and quite involuntarily she sighed. "Nick!"

"Yours to command!" said Nick.

She turned towards him resolutely. "Be serious just a moment! I want to
know something. He didn't leave Dad for any special reason, did he?"

"I've no doubt he did," said Nick. "He has a reason for most of his
actions. But he didn't confide it to me."

She gave another sharp sigh, and said no more.

Colonel Bradlaw came up and joined them, and after a little the Rajah
also. He stationed himself beside Olga, and began to talk in his smooth
way of all the wonders in the district she had yet to see.

She wished he would not take the trouble to be gracious to her, but he
was always gracious to European ladies and there was no escape. The
British polish over the Oriental suavity seemed to her a decidedly
incongruous mixture. She infinitely preferred the purely Oriental.

"My _shikari_ has told me of a man-eater at Khantali," he said
presently. "You have not seen a tiger-hunt yet? I must arrange an
expedition, and you and Captain Ratcliffe will join?"

Olga explained that she had never done any shooting.

"But you will like to look on," he said.

She hesitated. "I am afraid," she said, after a moment, "I don't like
seeing things killed."

"No?" said the Rajah politely.

She wondered if the dusky eyes veiled contempt, and felt a little
uncomfortable in consequence of the wonder.

"You have never killed--anything?" he asked, in a tone of courteous
interest