The Pool in the Desert

d continue to be made honourary members, in view of the sentiments some of them were freely reflecting from Europe upon the subject of a war in South Africa which was none of theirs

y. It was just the place for Armour, a sumptuous dynasty wrecked in white marble and buried in desert sands for three hundred years; and I was glad to hear that he was making the most of it. It was quite by the way, but I had lent him the money to go there-somebody had to lend it to him-and when he asked me to decide whether he should take his passage for Marseilles or use it for this other purpose I could hardly hesitat

ent private reasons I could not be the person to destroy the idyll, if indeed its destruction were possible, that flourished there in the corner of my eye. Besides, had not I myself planted and watered it? But it was foolish to expect other people, people who are forever on the lookout for trousseaux and wedding-bells, and who considered these two as mere man and maid, and had no sight of them as engaging young spirits in happy conjunction-it was foolish to expect such people

sk to put his daughter up in Calcutta. It should be the wife of a man in his own department of course; it is to one's Deputy Secretary that one looks for succour at

and a smile of great unconcern. Harris, having got her effectually out of harm's way, shirked fu

ier. I met her again for the first time at one of the Thursday dances at Government House. In the glance she gave me I was glad to detect no suspicion of co

o drink and stand in the low water of the Jumna, to stand and switch their tails while their herdsmen on the bank coax them back with 'Ari!' 'Ari!' 'Ari!' long and high, faint and musical; and the minarets of Akbar's fort rise beyond against the throbbing sky and the sun fills it all. This place I shall never see more distinctly than I saw it tha

d once brusquely, 'how go

to Simla aga

that this time he will conquer the

ur req

. They must recognize him-they must b

?' I asked remembering the nigh

cares. I've been trying to make him care more. A human being is

a fixed ambition somewhere in the firmame

mbition,' said Miss

inue,' I said-'continu

and determination, and might have been expecte

,' she informed me. 'I was not allowed to see it or to know

t,' I said

m,' Dora continued, slowly, 't

able to return, 'and I am a

ith the Member, and we escaped, gasping, from the Plains about the middle of April. Simla was crimson with rhododendron blossoms, and seemed a spur of Arcady. There had been the usual number of flittings from one

my cup of tea. 'And I am quite jealous. Sir William, only S

portend?' I sa

g with his impression of it. He says it's the finest thing t

'I hope you won't be sorry that you asked

gn, and otherwise excessively occupied, and there was no lack of demands upon my own time. Besides, my ardour to be of assistance to the young man

private view as we went along the Mall towards the Town Hall together. 'He wi

s and congratulation. Behind him and a little to the left hung his picture, large and predominant, and in the corner of the frame was stuck the red ticket that signified the Viceroy's

s. I heard myself saying to Dora that it was very well painted indeed, very conscientiously painted, and that is certainly what struck me. The expression of the fire-eater's face was extremel

e was regarding it with a deep verti

mself?' she demanded, but before I

said, looki

e,' she stammered

erything that was never there before. Accuracy of detail, you k

he has left out everything that was there before. B

congratulate me. I didn't do it

in one of Mrs. Steel's novels,' said Armour, just turn

ral feeling.' I went on to discourse of the general feeling. Words came generously, quest

on, looking at Dora, 'and has commissioned me to

e of the same si

l with some phase

upon the picture. I glanced at her once; her gaze was steady, but perfectly

do. You have won the Viceroy's medal, and all the reputation there is to win in this place. C

up, and then dashed it from his lips; but the

on an excellent face. 'B