oger Bennet, and to the nameless unknowns who had
probably bridged the space between. Since her frank confession of
loyalty at Kajiar, he had refrained from expressing curiosity on the
subject. But a man cannot always keep his mind from straying into
forbidden places. "If only she would not treat the whole crew as if
they were her brothers; and favourite brothers at that!" had been his
thought more than once during the past few months. It was all very
well with Dick,--a gentleman through and through, without a grain of
conceit in him; but there were scores of others who would not
understand. Garth, for instance, had clearly not understood; and for
her sake, as well as his own, Lenox did not choose that she should
multiply mistakes of that kind.

With a sigh, he drew out his watch, remembering that he had consented
to be one of the judges at the Punjab Infantry sports, in which some of
his own men and Native officers were taking part. Perhaps Quita would
drive down with him: but he would not press the point.

Her infectious laughter seemed to challenge and rebuke his black mood,
as he opened the drawing-room door to find her taking her patient for a
walking tour, his hand resting on her shoulder; her face alight with
encouragement, looking up into his. For it was this big man, with his
dependence, and his simplicity of character, who had wakened the mother
spirit in Quita after all; though she was not yet alive to the fact.

They stood still when Lenox appeared, Richardson a little breathless
from some recent effort.

"He tripped over your bear's head, and I saved him from falling!" Quita
explained triumphantly. "I wanted him to try without the crutch,
because Dr Courtenay takes him in to dinner to-night; and he hardly had
to lean on me at all!"

"I told Mrs Lenox you'd be down on me if I turned her into a
walking-stick," Richardson added in half-laughing apology. "But she
insisted. And you know how much chance a fellow has when she insists!"

"Yes--_I_ know," Lenox answered, such depth of conviction in his tone
that Quita laughed again.

"_Mon Dieu_--listen to the man! One would think I spent half my time
insisting on his doing what he hates; which is a rank libel! Now, Mr
Richardson, back to your chair, please. You've done enough for one
while."

Lenox put out a hand to steady him across the room.

"He's going to beat me at picquet now, by way of gratitude," Quita
remarked, shaking out his pillo