Fairy palaces of fire seemed to hover
miraculously in the evening air, and over everything hung the curious,
indefinable charm of the mysterious East.
Nehal Singh turned and found Lois Caruthers standing with Stafford a
little behind him. Both their names were forgotten, but the dark eager
face of the girl attracted him and at the same time puzzled him as
something which struck a hitherto unsuspected chord in his innermost self.
"You find it well?" he asked her.
"It is most beautiful," she answered. "It is good of you, Rajah Sahib, to
give us so much pleasure."
That was all she said, but among all his memories of that evening she
remained prominent, because she had spoken sincerely, warmly,
enthusiastically. Others thanked him--the Colonel's little speech at the
end was a piece of studied rhetoric, but it left him cold where her thanks
had left him warm, almost gratefully so.
On the whole, the first meeting between the English residents of Marut and
the young native prince was classified as a success. As they drove through
the darkness, the returning guests called terse criticisms to one another
which tended to the conclusion that the whole thing had not been at all
bad, and that for the circumstances the Rajah was a remarkably
well-mannered individual.
Beatrice Cary took no part in the light-hearted exchange. Her mother had
gone off with Mrs. Carmichael in her carriage, and Travers having offered
to drive her home, she had accepted, and now sat by his side, thoughtful,
almost depressed, though she did not own it, even to herself.
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