Rujub, the Juggler

r there was scarcely a bungalow in the station at which dinner parties were not going on; but, after eleven, the gentlemen for the

nly that afternoon. Every table in the whist room was occupied, black pool was being played in the billiard ro

party from the Major's had been chatting for some little time downst

least. I have tried over and over again, but I am too nervous, I fancy; I break down over the easiest stroke-in fact, an e

he idea of a nervous

, constitutionally,

ion of not minding in the slightest what responsibility you take upon yourself, and of

nervous so far as I know, physically I am. I would give a great deal

thurst. I knew him well, and h

," Bathurst said; "I will

of Bathurst's came up and ente

," the Doctor said; "and you will find me ther

ed when the Doctor ent

up his cue; he is going to ride tomorrow, and is afraid of shaking his nerves; you must come and

" the Doctor said, "but I don't mind adding

y have just sent off two club waiters, with loads of rupees, to their quarters.

added to the list of victims: he had no difficulty in getting

ent away I could have given each of those men a life, now they could give

son, Doctor," Captain Doolan

ry good shot now and then, but you are too harum scarum and slap dash altogether. The art of playing pool is the art of placing yourself; while, when you strike, you have not the faintest idea where

t is a man to do when fellows say, 'We

y my losses and take my winnings; I am tired of being as good as an annuity to you all,' for that is what you have been

play so very

e any difference to him. That sort of boy would play billiards till the first bugle sounds in the morning, and have a wash and turn out as fresh as paint, but it won't last, Doolan, not in this climate; his cheeks will have fallen in and he will have crow's feet at the corners of his eyes before another year has gone over. I like that other boy, Wilson, better. Of course he is a cub as yet, but I should say there is good in him. Just at present I can see he is beginning to fancy himself in love with Miss Hann

n upon his companion, "talking away like that in the middle of th

l have a final peg and then be off; I expect

death, riding about the country as if Old Nick were behind him, and never giving himself a minute for diversion of any k

or said dryly, "you are ever likely to

what I have to do, and if anyone has an anxiety to take my place in the rota for duty, he is as welcome to it as the flowers of May. I had my share of it when I was a subaltern; there is no better fellow living than the Major, but when he was Capta

got. You ought to thank your stars that you had the good luck in having a Captain who knew his business, and made y

Doctor; but then nobody look

rted, "but it is very seldom I get one of doing so-at least

d demerits of the horses that run tomorrow do not in the slightest degree affect me, and e

n sooner or later. If they don't they become mere machines. Every man ought to have some sort of hobby; he need not ride it to death, but he wants to take some sort of interest in it. I don't care whether he takes to pig sticking, or racing, or shooting, or wh

her break down or beco

r young fellows just as full of work and enthusiasm as you are, but I have never seen an exce

g me because I am not fond enough

r three hours out of the twenty-four, whereas the work of a civilian in a large district literally never ends, unless he puts a resolute stop to it. What with seeing people from morning until night, and riding about and listening to complain

y were walking t

t the station," Captain Doolan said, "if they would m

at the tremendous disproportion between the pay of a military man and of a civilian of the same age is simply monstrous. Well, goodnight, Doolan; I hope you will tel

has been an excellent thing for him. He had nothing to do before but to pass away his time in the club or mess house, and drink more than was good for him. But he has pulled himself round altogether since he

now a very few people here except those I have to deal with, and by the time I have got through my business I am generally so thoroug

fter all that din, before we turn in. Let us get off our coats and collars, and make ourselves comfortable; it is a proof of the bestial stupidity of m

made themselves comfortable in two loungin

it is not very often that you overpraise things; but she is

r months on the voyage out, and I saw enough of

Where I saw her, and under what circumstances, I have been puzzling myself half

certainly have not seen her, and as I know pretty well every woman who has been in this station for the last

f, Doctor, but that does not in the sligh

as said, 'Visions of love cast their shadows before,' or something of that sort,

uite right, Doctor; anyhow, I am convinced that the impres

talk we hear about chupaties being sent round among the native troops, and the talk about greased cartri

them well enough to notice any change if it existed. I know nothing about the Sepoys, but Garnet tells me that the Company at Deennugghur g

as been no active service lately, and idleness is always bad for men. I can't believe there is any widespread dissatisfaction among them, but there is no doubt whatever that if there is, and it breaks out, the position will be a ve

ing to lose by it, and nothing to gain, that is, individually; and we should be

Sepoy regiments to one English. Besides, they consider themselves fully a match for us. They have fought by us side by side in every battlefield in India, and have done as well as we have. I don't see what they should rise for. I don't even see whose interest it is to bring a rising about, but I do know that if they rise we shall have

ut as it is past one now I dare say I shall be able to sleep

he Doctor said, "if you will promise not to make a doze

angements of the flowers, had been, she thought, perfection, and everything had passed off without a hitch. Her duties as a hostess had been much lighter than she had anticipated. Mrs. Hunt

t her first dinner party

but little of the natives so far, and she was now to see them at their best. The

o the veranda to meet him on his return from early parade. "It was too bad

u ladies did plenty

and Mrs. Hunter insisted on the girls going to bed directly you a

said. "I can stand a good deal of smoke, b

very well yesterday,

y dear, thanks to you an

tle to do with

Isobel, but I thought you did very well as hostess; it seemed to me th

the Doctor there, and Mr. Gregson, who took

sed if he heard you c

a commissioner, and all that sort of thing, gives o

t into the b

the four ladies, arrived at the inclosure. The horses were taken out, and the carriage whe

e the scarlet uniforms of the Sepoys of the 103d and other regiments. On the opposite side were a number of native vehicles of various desc

gave them an entrance to the privileged inclosure. The carriages were placed three or four yards back from the rail, and the intervening space was fil

s Hannay," the Doctor said

lly prett

I went down to the Derby when I was at home, and such an assemb

but that is merely a question of garment; these people perhaps are

lish roughs and betting men than among these placid looking natives. The one would pick your pockets of ever

mean that, Dr. W

ld give long odds to those of any European city, and three out of four of those men you see walking about there would not only cut the th

he is none the worse off now than he

rs, just as our Barons used to do in the happy olden times people talk of. We have put down private fighting, and the consequence is these men's o

is Nana

ses, in harness almost covered with silver ornaments, drive up to a p

but sometimes he affects English fashions. He is a very cheery fellow, he keeps pretty well open house at Bithoor, has a bil

. Hunter said. Isobel looked

k of him?" the Doctor a

a mask; but you see I am not accustomed to read brown men's characters, they are so different from Europe

ut of course less so here than among the Bengallies, who, being naturally

native notions, robbed him of one of the finest positions in India by refusing to acknowledge his adoption. We have given him a princely revenue, but that, after all, is a mere trifle to what he would have had as Peishwa. Whatever virtues the natives of this country possess, the

g with General Wheeler and the gr

es. "You are right, Doctor,"

t us. I don't see any motive for his pretending to be friendly if he is not, but I own that I shoul

ourse. Major Hannay and Mr. Hunter, who had driven over in the

he said. "Now is the time, yo

anyone in this first race," I

p to the side of the carriage, said. "There are six horses in; you pick out

ow anything about them, Mr. Wilson? I mig

t the favorite, Miss Hannay

her uncle said. "Let us h

sweepstak

s a gene

e are six of us, and there are Wilson and th

nd throwing away

other two are blank. Then we each pull out one. Whoever draws the name of the horse that wins takes five rupees, the holde

ps were

s Bruce," I

jacket and cap came cantering along the course. "This is a race for country horses-owners up. That means r

hance h

iss Hannay. I did not hear an

el said, as one with a rider in bla

i. Yes, it ha

" the eldest M

Doctor said, "and is perfectly conscious of it

Belongs to the publ

ntment her horse was never in the race, which Delhi looked like winning until near the post, when a rather co

when the other was first all along. I call th

s time. There is nothing unfair in that, I fancy Delhi might have won if he had had a better jockey. His rider never really called upon him till it was too l

ter keeping ahead all the way and going so nicely. I

, "quite as much that it is hard on you being beaten aft

m, Doctor,"

the satisfaction of thinking all along that your horse was g

Miss Hannay, is, your ho

sion, Mr. Wilson, because I don't see t

aid. "Where have you been, Bathurst?

Commissioner, Doctor. I have

ke in, "that you have been trying to cram yo

aid, "and I don't think the Commissioner h

e idea of. Here we are just getting up a sweepstake for the next race; hand over a rupee and try to get up an interest in it. Do try and forget your work

rst l

g myself in m

n standing up in the next car

she is the wife of the Collector there, but I think she

husband tal

n in the Artiller

s Harrowby, a good looking fel

like, uncle, or who like

ajor said; "I believe he is considered on

it is because they are conscious of their own good looks, and therefore do not take the trouble of being amusing. We had one very good looki

ly," the Doctor said, "but I thi

hat I call go in for being good looking. I don't know whethe

s Hannay; but I must be going-they are just going to start the next race, and mi

ss you deserve. I can't s

"I don't expect to win, but I do hope I shall beat R

ths came the other horses in a clump, Wilson and Richards singling themselves out in the last hundred yards and mak

hird horse simply saved his stake, so that as they will of course divide, they will have paid twenty-five

Major Hannay," Miss Hunter said; "so

e a long time before they get over the chaff abo

ctions, and there was so much conversation and laughter that the girls had little time to attend to what was going on around them. Wilson and Richards both sauntered up after changing, and were the

pported, especially in the regiment, for the Adjutant was a first class rider, and was in great request at all the principal meetings in Oude and the Northwest Provinces, while it wa

won the previous year, both at Cawnpore and Lucknow; but the Rajah's new purchase had gained so high a reputation in the Western Presidency as fully to

at at the Hunters' carriage as he

ero," Mr. Hunter said. "Miss Hannay has been

l faster than Seila. I fancy he is pounds better. I only beat Vincent's horse by a head last year, and Mameluke gave hi

e mean by he

other way, so that one

said; "I have enough money

y your bets if you lose, Miss Hann

You don't suppose I intend to take the gl

inst gentlemen. I believe that when they wager against each other, which they do not often do

el, Mrs. Hunte

any ladies do pay their bets when the

, it is as bad as asking anyone to make you a present o

is a recognized custom; it is a sort of tribute that is exacted at race time, just as in Fra

y," Isobel said. "And if Mr. Prothero doesn't w

ile from the stand. They were to pass it, make the circuit, and finish there, the race being two miles. The interest of the natives was

k blue of the Rajah and the Adjutant's scarlet and white were both in the rear of the group. Soon a

a vengeance," the Major said. "That i

ing other tactics. They are passing the mile post now, and Prothero is twelve or fourteen lengths ahead. There, Mameluke is going through his horses; his rider is beginning to get nervous at th

he other side of the inclosure as Mameluke was seen to le

!" Isobel said, tearing her h

ing the horses thro

. Seila is doing nearly her best, but he is not hurrying her, while the fool on

engths in advance, for a few strides their relative positions remained unaltered, then there was a shout from the carriages; scarlet was coming up again. Mameluke's rider glanced over his shoulder, and

ila wins!" the

sible, but foot by foot the mare came up, and as they

r of Mameluke, another hundred yards and they