e ghastly nature of
the horror that had swept down upon them. He hoped the boy would have
the sense to let her remain unenlightened. It was bad enough to have to
leave her after the ordeal they had just faced together. He did not want
her terrified on his account as well.

But when he joined them she was still smiling, eager only to provide for
any possible want of his, not thinking of herself at all.

"I hope you will enjoy your picnic, Billikins," she said. "I'll shut the
door after you, and I shall know it's properly fastened. Oh, yes, the
_khit_ will take care of me, Mr. Harley. He's such a brave man. He kills
snakes without the smallest change of countenance. Good-night,
Billikins! Take care of yourself. I suppose you'll come back sometime?"

She gave him the lightest caress imaginable, shook hands affectionately
with young Harley, who was looking decidedly less pinched than he had
upon arrival, and stood waving an energetic hand as they went away into
the dripping dark.

"You didn't tell her--anything?" Merryon asked, as they plunged down the
road.

"Not more than I could help, Major. But she seemed to know without."
The lad spoke uncomfortably, as if against his will.

"She asked questions, then?" Merryon's voice was sharp.

"Yes, a few. She wanted to know about Forbes and Robey. Robey is awfully
bad. I didn't tell her that."

"Who is looking after them?" Merryon asked.

"Only a native orderly now. The colonel and Macfarlane both had to go to
the barracks. It's frightful there. About twenty cases already. Oh, hang
this rain!" said Harley, bitterly.

"But couldn't they take them--Forbes, I mean, and Robey--to the
hospital?" questioned Merryon.

"No. To tell you the truth, Robey is pegging out, poor fellow. It's
always the best chaps that go first, though. Heaven knows, we may be all
gone before this time to-morrow."

"Don't talk like a fool!" said Merryon, curtly.

And Harley said no more.

They pressed on through mud that was ankle-deep to the barracks.

There during all the nightmare hours that followed Merryon worked with
the strength of ten. He gave no voluntary thought to his wife waiting
for him in loneliness, but ever and anon those blazing eyes of hers rose
before his mental vision, and he saw again that brave, sweet smile with
which she had watched him go.

The morning found him haggard but indomitable, wrestling with the
difficulties of establishing a camp a mile or more from the barr