n her friend? His heart smote him. He had never
seen her so touching, so charming. Since the incubus of Lady Henry's
house and presence had been removed she seemed to have grown years
younger. A white muslin dress of her youth, touched here and there by
the Duchess's maid, replaced the familiar black satin. When Warkworth
first saw her he paused unconsciously in surprise.

Then he advanced to meet her, broadly smiling, his blue eyes dancing.

"You got my note this morning?"

"Yes," she said, demurely. "You were much too kind, and much--much too
absurd. I have done nothing."

"Oh, nothing, of course." Then, after a moment: "Are you going to tie me
to that fiction, or am I to be allowed a little decent sincerity? You
know perfectly well that you have done it all. There, there; give me
your hand."

She gave it, shrinking, and he kissed it joyously.

"Isn't it jolly!" he said, with a school-boy's delight as he released
her hand. "I saw Lord M---- this morning." He named the Prime Minister.
"Very civil, indeed. Then the Commander-in-Chief--and Montresor gave me
half an hour. It is all right. They are giving me a capital staff.
Excellent fellows, all of them. Oh, you'll see, I shall pull it
through--I shall pull it through. By George! it is a chance!"

And he stood radiant, rubbing his hands over the blaze.

The Duchess came in accompanied by an elderly cousin of the Duke's, a
white-haired, black-gowned spinster, Miss Emily Lawrence--one of those
single women, travelled, cultivated, and good, that England produces in
such abundance.

"Well, so you're going," said the Duchess, to Warkworth. "And I hear
that we ought to think you a lucky man."

"Indeed you ought, and you must," he said, gayly. "If only the climate
will behave itself. The blackwater fever has a way of killing you in
twenty-four hours if it gets hold of you; but short of that--"

"Oh, you will be quite safe," said the Duchess. "Let me introduce you to
Miss Lawrence. Emily, this is Captain Warkworth."

The elderly lady gave a sudden start. Then she quietly put on her
spectacles and studied the young soldier with a pair of intelligent
gray eyes.

* * * * *

Nothing could have been more agreeable than Warkworth at dinner. Even
the Duchess admitted as much. He talked easily, but not too much, of the
task before him; told amusing tales of his sporting experience of years
back in the same regions which were now to be the