ou?" she said.

He laughed, and flicked his whip at a wizened monkey-face that peered at
them round the bole of a tree. "What do you mean by the horrid part?"

She hesitated.

He turned his gay face to her. "Do you mean the hardships or the actual
fighting?"

She gave a little shudder. Even in that brilliant warmth of sunshine
she was conscious of a sense of chill. "I mean--the killing," she said.
"It seems to me one could never forget that. It--it's such a frightful
responsibility."

"It's all part of the game," said Noel. "I couldn't kill a man on the
sly. But when the chances of being killed oneself are equal--well, I
don't see anything in it."

"I see." Olga was silent a moment; then, with a curious eagerness: "And
was that what you were thinking of that night when you told Peggy that
sometimes it was the only thing to do?" she asked. "Forgive my asking!
But I've wondered often what you meant by that."

"Great Scott!" said Noel, with a frown of bewilderment. "What night?
What were we talking about?"

She explained with a touch of embarrassment. "It was the night I
arrived. Don't you remember I came upon you hearing her say her
prayers?--in fact you were saying them with her. I liked you for doing
that," she said simply.

"Thank you," said Noel with equal simplicity. "I remember now. The
kiddie said something about it being wicked to kill people, didn't she?"

"Yes. And you said--it was just before I interrupted you--you said that
sometimes it was the only thing to do."

Noel nodded. "I remember. Well, can't you imagine that? Don't you agree
that when a man is fighting for his country, or in defence of someone,
he is justified in slaying his enemies?"

Olga was frowning also, the old, troubled frown of perplexity. "Oh, of
course, when you put it like that," she said; then put her hand to her
head with a puzzled air. "But that wasn't quite what I meant."

"What did you mean?" said Noel.

She shook her head. "I don't quite know. It's difficult to express
things. Whenever I try to discuss anything I always seem to lose the
thread."

Noel grinned boyishly. "Good for me! You'd jolly soon floor me if you
didn't. Look at that parroquet, I say! He flashes like an emerald, and
see that imp of a monkey! He's actually daring to rebuke us for
trespassing. I call this road a disgrace to the State, don't you? If I
were the Rajah--by the way, the Rajah isn't coming, is he?"

Olga thought it possible. She knew h