--G

I

FOR SIMLA REASONS

Some people say that improbable things don't necessarily happen in
India--but these people never find improbabilities anywhere. This
sounds clever, but you will at once perceive that it really means the
opposite of what I intended to say. So we'll drop it. What I am
trying to tell you is that after Sparkley had that affair with Miss
Millikens a singular change came over him. He grew abstracted and
solitary,--holding dark seances with himself,--which was odd, as
everybody knew he never cared a rap for the Millikens girl. It was
even said that he was off his head--which is rhyme. But his reason was
undoubtedly affected, for he had been heard to mutter incoherently at
the Club, and, strangest of all, to answer questions THAT WERE NEVER
ASKED! This was so awkward in that Branch of the Civil Department of
which he was a high official--where the rule was exactly the
reverse--that he was presently invalided on full pay! Then he
disappeared. Clever people said it was because the Department was
afraid he had still much to answer for; stupid people simply envied him.

Mrs. Awksby, whom everybody knew had been the cause of breaking off the
match, was now wild to know the reason of Sparkley's retirement. She
attacked heaven and earth, and even went a step higher--to the Viceroy.
At the vice-regal ball I saw, behind the curtains of a window, her
rolling violet-blue eyes with a singular glitter in them. It was the
reflection of the Viceroy's star, although the rest of his Excellency
was hidden in the curtain. I heard him saying, "Come now! really, now,
you are--you know you are!" in reply to her cooing questioning. Then
she made a dash at me and captured me.

"What did you hear?"

"Nothing I should not have heard."

"Don't be like all the other men--you silly boy!" she answered. "I was
only trying to find out something about Sparkley. And I will find it
out too," she said, clinching her thin little hand. "And what's more,"
she added, turning on me suddenly, "YOU shall help me!"

"I?" I said in surprise.

"Don't pretend!" she said poutingly. "You're too clever to believe
he's cut up over the Millikens. No--it's something awful or--another
woman! Now, if I knew as much of India as you do--and wasn't a woman,
and could go where I liked--I'd go to Bungloore and find him."

"Oh! You have his address?" I said.

"Certainly! What did you expect I was behind the curtain with the