men and keeping them in good health under all sorts of
fanciful conditions and in every kind of climate, especially under
circumstances when ordinary stores were not available. With that object
in view I read up every possible country in which my regiment might be
engaged, learnt the local names of common articles of food, and
ascertained particularly what provision nature made to sustain life.
The study interested me. Once, during the Soudan campaign, it was
really useful, and procured me promotion."

"Tell me about it."

"During some operations in the desert it was necessary for my troop to
follow up a small party of rebels mounted on camels, which, as you
probably know, can go without water much longer than horses. We were
almost within striking distance, when our horses completely gave out,
but I luckily noticed indications which showed that there was water
beneath a portion of the plain much below the general level. Half an
hour's spade work proved that I was right. We took up the pursuit
again, and ran the quarry to earth, and I got my captaincy."

"Was there no fight?"

He paused an appreciable time before replying. Then he evidently made
up his mind to perform some disagreeable task. The watching girl could
see the change in his face, the sharp transition from eager interest to
angry resentment.

"Yes," he went on at last, "there was a fight. It was a rather stiff
affair, because a troop of British cavalry which should have supported
me had turned back, owing to the want of water already mentioned. But
that did not save the officer in charge of the 24th Lancers from being
severely reprimanded."

"The 24th Lancers!" cried Iris. "Lord Ventnor's regiment!"

"Lord Ventnor was the officer in question."

Her face crimonsed. "Then you know him?" she said.

"I do."

"Is he your enemy?"

"Yes."

"And that is why you were so agitated that last day on the
_Sirdar_, when poor Lady Tozer asked me if I were engaged to him?"

"Yes."

"How could it affect you? You did not even know my name then?"

Poor Iris! She did not stop to ask herself why she framed her question
in such manner, but the sailor was now too profoundly moved to heed the
slip. She could not tell how he was fighting with himself, fiercely
beating down the inner barriers of self-love, sternly determined, once
and for all, to reveal himself in such light to this beautiful and
bewitching woman that in future she would learn to regard him only as