k that my money went to him instead of you. In my anxiety to avoid
anything of this sort, I have questioned you several times, and each
time you have told me a lie. The whole pile of bills are nothing to me
in comparison with that. I suppose I ought to have known that you
could hardly dress as you do on the little I can spare. But I was fool
enough to trust you implicitly." He paused, and added with greater
gentleness: "What's more, I shall trust you again, unless you make
that quite impossible. But I warn you--Ladybird, that if ever you do
kill my trust in you, you will kill--everything else along with it."

"_Theo!_"

There was sharp pain in the cry, and she swung round, flinging out her
hands with a pathetic gesture of entreaty. He did not take them as she
half hoped he would; but stood looking at her in a thoughtful silence.
Then, "If you care as much as that," he said slowly, "it lies with you
not to fling away the thing you care for. Will you please let me see
those bills."

"They are on the bureau. You can take them."

She turned again to the mantelpiece, for her lips were not quite
steady.

"You were going to tell me about them, perhaps?"

"N--no. I wasn't."

He sighed; and taking up the papers, looked through them absently, too
deeply troubled to grasp their contents.

"Are these all?" he asked quietly.

"Nearly all."

"Have you any idea of the total?"

"About six hundred rupees."

A short silence followed, during which she again heard the rustle of
paper behind her, and longed for a sight of his face.

"I am afraid this knocks the Lahore week on the head," he said at
length. "I am bound to run down for the Polo Tournament, of course;
but I can come straight back, and we must do without the rest of it
this year."

The incredible words roused Evelyn to open mutiny. Once more she faced
him, her head flung backward, a ring of resolve in her voice.

"No, Theo, ... I _won't_ do without the rest of it. _You_ don't care,
I daresay! So long as you can win the Punjab Cup, nothing else
matters. But Christmas week is my only bit of real pleasure in all the
cold weather, and I _will_ go down for it, ... what_ever_ you say."

Theo Desmond was completely taken aback; and when surprise gave place
to speech, his tone suggested the iron hand under the velvet glove.

"My dear little woman, you are talking nonsense. If I find it
impossible to manage Lahore, you will remain here. There can be no
question abo