ged up to me with that eternal smile still vaguely pervading his
empty features. 'Well, we shall have a jolly party, I gathah,' he said.
'They tell me this niggah is famous for his tigahs.'

I gazed at him, positively taken aback. 'You don't mean to tell me,' I
cried, 'you actually propose to accept the Maharajah's hospitality?'

His smile absorbed him. 'Yaas,' he answered twirling his yellow
moustache, and gazing across at the unconscious prince, who was engaged
in overlooking the arrangements for our saloon carriage. 'The black
fellah discovahed I was a cousin of Harold's, so he came to call upon me
at the club, of which some Johnnies heah made me an honorary membah.
He's offahed me the run of his place while I'm in Indiah, and, of
course, I've accepted. Eccentric sort of chap; can't make him out
myself: says anyone connected with Harold Tillington is always deah to
him. Rum start, isn't it?'

'He is a mere Oriental,' I answered, 'unused to the ways of civilised
life. He cherishes the superannuated virtue of gratitude.'

'Yaas; no doubt--so I'm coming along with you.'

I drew back, horrified. 'Now? While I am there? After what I told you
last week on the steamer?'

'Oh, that's all right. I bear yah no malice. If I want any fun, of
course I must go while _you're_ at Moozuffernuggar.'

'Why so?'

'Yah see, this black boundah means to get up some big things at his
place in your honah; and one naturally goes to stop with anyone who has
big things to offah. Hang it all, what does it mattah who a fellah is if
he can give yah good shooting? It's shooting, don't yah know, that keeps
society in England togethah!'

'And therefore you propose to stop in the same house with me!' I
exclaimed, 'in spite of what I have told you! Well, Lord Southminster, I
should have thought there were limits which even _your_ taste----'

He cut me short with an inane grin. 'There you make your blooming little
erraw,' he answered, airily. 'I told yah, I keep my offah still open;
and, hang it all, I don't mean to lose sight of yah in a hurry. Some
other fellah might come along and pick you up when I wasn't looking; and
I don't want to miss yah. In point of fact, I don't mind telling yah, I
back myself still for a couple of thou' soonah or latah to marry yah.
It's dogged as does it; faint heart, they say, nevah won fair lady!'

If it had not been that I could not bear to disappoint my Indian prince,
I think, when I heard this, I should hav