he enquired.

She was silent for a moment, her face downcast. "I couldn't leave
Nick--possibly--out here," she said then.

"Why not? Can't the little god take care of himself?"

"No. And I wouldn't let him if he could. I shouldn't feel easy about
him. He--he--I feel as if he is trying to walk a tight rope every day."

"It's a sort of thing he ought to do very well, I should say," observed
Max. "But what is he doing it for?"

She looked up. "He thinks he is getting on splendidly," she said. "He
and the Rajah are such friends! But the Rajah isn't everybody, and I'm
not sure even of him. Someone tried to blow up the fort with a bomb not
so very long ago."

"Oh, that's the game, is it?" said Max. "You think a similar little joke
might be played on Nick, and if so you want to be there to see."

She smiled faintly, in a sense relieved that he did not treat the matter
too seriously. "It makes one a little nervous for him," she said,
"though of course there may be no reason for it."

"I see," said Max. "It's just a nightmare, is it?"

He was watching her intently, and under his look her heart quickened a
little.

"It may be all nonsense, yes," she admitted. "But in any case I won't
leave Nick out here. He is in my special charge."

He laughed. "Well, there's no appealing against that. You will be home
in April then. Will you marry me on Midsummer Day?"

Olga's eyelids flickered and fell. "I must think about it," she said.

He pinched her cheek. "Say Yes," he said.

She turned her face impulsively; her lips just touched his hand. "I
wonder if I shall, Max," she said.

"Say Yes," he repeated, still softly but with insistence.

She leaned her head against him. "I'd like to say Yes," she said. "But
somehow--somehow--I have a feeling that--that--"

"My dear," said Max very practically, "don't be silly!"

She turned and clung to him very tightly. "Max, I--I've got
something--on my mind."

His arm, very steady and strong, grew close about her. "Tell me!" he
said.

Haltingly she complied. "You will think me morbid. I can't help it. Max,
all last night--all last night--I felt as if--as if a spirit were with
me--calling--calling--calling, trying to make me understand something,
trying to--to warn me--of some danger--I couldn't see."

She broke off in tears. It seemed impossible to put the thing into
words. It was so intangible yet in her eyes so portentous. Max's hand
was on her head, stilling her agitation. Sh