was out again in the mocking
sunshine, swept unresisting back into the light-hearted whirl of things.

At tiffin, to her intense relief, Theo Desmond took the empty chair next
her own. He had missed her during the morning: and a glance at her face
sufficed to give him an inkling of the truth. All his heart went out to
her; and he hastened to answer the question in her eyes.

"Lenox went off at sunrise, for a day's shooting," he remarked
conversationally, when they had exchanged greetings.

She lifted her eyebrows. "Did he? Sensible man! I suppose he is tired
to death of our frivolous fooling."

"That's rather severe! I can't let you run him down. The other thing's
more in his line, that's all; and it'll do him a power of good. He
suffers cruelly from want of sleep, poor chap.--By the way, have you
heard the latest suggestion for to-morrow?"

"No. I was--lying down this morning. What is it?"

"A burlesque polo match: ladies against men: the men to play on
side-saddles by way of a mild handicap! Some of the older folk are a bit
horrified at the notion. But I believe it'll come off; and they want me
to captain the team."

"You? One of the champions of the Punjaub! What impertinence! Shall
you?"

"Why, certainly. It will be rather a lark."

"Well, then, I'll play too, if they'll have me. Will you ask them,
please?"

He regarded her in frank astonishment. "Jove! I never thought of that.
Are you in earnest?"

"But yes. In cut-throat earnest!" she answered, laughing.

"Ever tried your hand at it?"

"Never, in all my days. I will this afternoon though, if you'll take me
in hand for an hour or so."

"With all the pleasure in life. You can ride Diamond, if you like. He
knows almost as much about the game as I do."

Her eyes sparkled.

"That gem of an Arab? May I, really? I always thought you were a man in
a hundred; and now I know it! That's a bargain, then. Things have been
deadly insipid the last two days. But I have something to live for now!"

Garth received her announcement with open dismay. He suspected Desmond's
influence: and, in his zeal to dissuade her, ventured on a mild tone of
authority, with disastrous results.

"Well, I shan't have a comfortable moment till the thing is safely over,"
he concluded unwisely: and she tossed an indignant head.

"Am I such a despicable horseman?" she demanded haughtily. "Captain
Desmond doesn't find me so, I assure you."

And inde