re not it most emphatically does _not_; so she
had not given a thought to the extraordinary ease with which her wishes
seemed to be carried out, in fact forestalled.

"It is the same serang who took the mem-sahib when she went on the
_shikar_ and killed the man-eating tiger. The two coolies to carry the
mem-sahib's luggage have been hired, and the boat will be moored
to-morrow night!"

"To-morrow _night_," said Leonie, the light from the adjoining room
throwing up her white face against the shadows of the quickly falling
night. "But it took us _two_ nights to get there last time."

"We are going a shorter way, mem-sahib. The launch will be moored in a
big creek on the front of the island at which the mem-sahib landed last
time. A small boat will take us through the very narrow creek, which
encircles the island, to the other side near which the temple stands.
There will not be much walking for the mem-sahib, she can proceed
immediately to the temple in time to see the sunrise, or pass the night
in a _suapattah_----"

"Oh! never _that_!" said Leonie most decidedly, thinking of her last
experience.

"But this hut is clean, mem-sahib!"

Leonie turned right round in her chair.

"How do you know that the last hut was not?"

"All huts are dirty, mem-sahib."

There was not a sign of confusion on the calm well-bred face, and he
stood like a statue as Leonie, unconsciously striving for light in the
darkness, continued her questioning.

"How did you know I wanted to go to the same place--to the temple, I
mean?"

"I did not know, the mem-sahib told the chauffeur!"

At the last word Leonie lifted her head, and her eyes rested intently
upon the handsome face in the doorway between the two rooms.

"No! I did not!"

"The great heat of the day doubtless caused the mem-sahib to forget the
order she gave to her servant."

Never argue with a native of India, because educated or not he will
invariably, and with the utmost courtesy, make you feel at the end of
the argument that, if not a born, you are at least an excellent
temporary liar.

"Did your parents have you taught your remarkable English?"

"The mem-sahib is too kind to inquire."

In India you do not show curiosity about your servants' private affairs
or their families, it is not expected, it is not understood; and at the
silence which followed the answer Leonie, feeling herself rebuked, rose
from the table, and walked out on to the verandah to hide the