from England. The child stared at him, but she
stared most at her mother. She always did this
when she had a chance to see her, because the
Mem Sahib -- Mary used to call her that oftener
than anything else -- was such a tall, slim, pretty
person and wore such lovely clothes. Her hair
was like curly silk and she had a delicate little
nose which seemed to be disdaining things, and
she had large laughing eyes. All her clothes
were thin and floating, and Mary said they were
"full of lace." They looked fuller of lace than
ever this morning, but her eyes were not laughing
at all. They were large and scared and lifted imploringly
to the fair boy officer's face.

"Is it so very bad? Oh, is it?" Mary heard
her say.

"Awfully," the young man answered in a trembling
voice. "Awfully, Mrs. Lennox. You
ought to have gone to the hills two weeks ago."

The Mem Sahib wrung her hands.

"Oh, I know I ought!" she cried. "I only
stayed to go to that silly dinner party. What a
fool I was!"

At that very moment such a loud sound of wailing
broke out from the servants' quarters that she
clutched the young man's arm, and Mary stood
shivering from head to foot. The wailing grew
wilder and wilder.

[[4]]

p003 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p004w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p005

v?