The Jungle Girl

nt, dressed in the white drill uniform worn at dinner in India during the hot weather. From the carriage Major Norton, a stout, middle-aged man in civilian evening

tirring in him a faint jealousy of the man who was Violet's legal lord and an indefinite hostility to him for not appreciating

an Army. But he was never the gay and light-hearted individual that most junior subs. are at the beginning of their career. Even then he had been a sober and serious individual, favourably noted by his superiors as being earnest and painstaking. And now he was well thought of by the Heads of his Department; for his plodding and methodical disposition and his slavish adherence to rules and regulations had earned him the reputation of being an eminently "safe" man. How such a

, beside whom he sat, strove in vain to appear interested in his conversation. For he had heard his opinions on every subject on which Norton had any opinions over and over again. As the Resident was the only other European in the station he dined regularly at the Me

be at the bridge-table inside; and, as his guest was a strict teetotaller, he did not like to order a drink for himself. So he tried to k

e Colonel entered the anter

e every day. I'm sick to death of hearing the life-story of every Indian insect for the hu

p and laughed. Ross rose fr

nt something to cheer you up after that infliction. Boy! whiskey-soda Command

Second in Command. "It's my turn to ask the Resident to dinn

t the bridge-table. "Couldn't we pass a resolution at the next Mess meeting that in futu

sense of humour was not his strong point, t

"The Resident would be very offended and might mention it t

eriors and prevent that happy consummation of his thirty years of Indian service. This fear made him merciless to anyone under him whose conduct might bring the censure of the higher authorities on the innocent head of the Commanding Officer who was in theory responsible for the behaviour of his juniors. It was commonly said in the regiment that he would cheerfully give up his own brother

ully drank the whiskey and soda brought him by Ross's order and sat down cheerfully to play bridge. He

o Europeans, who knew every line of each other's faces by heart gathered regularly from sheer boredom whether the game amused them or not. Neither Mrs. Trevor nor her bosom-friend Mrs. Baird, the regimental surgeon's better half, ever attempted it; but they invariably attended and sat together, usually talking scandal of Mrs. Norton as she played or chatted with the men. Mrs. Trevor's

closely shuttered to exclude the awful heat and the blinding glare outside. Too hot to read or write, almost to smoke, they lay in long cane chairs, gasping and perspiring freely, while the whining punkah overhead barely stirred the heated air. One exterior window on the windward s

hours of the afternoon absorbed in making music or singing duets. For Violet had a well-trained voice which harmonise

to all her little grievances, one who seemed as interested in her petty household worries or the delinquencies of her London milliner in failing to execute her orders properly as in her greater complaint a

ion. He regarded her only as a friend in need of sympathy and help. His chivalry was up in arms at the thought that she was not properly appreciated by her husband, who, he began to suspect, was inclined to neglect her and treat her as

. After their introduction in the Mess Frank's next meeting with him was at his own table at the Residency, when in due cours

ry far away when this charming and exquisitely-dressed woman received them in her large drawing-room from which all trace of the East in furniture and decor

him ignorant of and uninterested in it he engaged in a desultory conversation with Raymond. He soon tired of this and for the most part ate his dinner in silence. He never addressed his wife; and Wargrave, watching them, pitied her if her husband was as little companionable at meal-times when they w

ho had a dry humour of his own, to a contest of wit. Between them the two subalterns brightened up what had threatened to be a dull evening. Mrs. Norton laughed gaily and helped to keep the ball rolling; and even the host in his turn woke up and actually attempted to tell a humorous story. It certainly lacked point; but he seemed satisfied that

rawing-room and out on to the verandah that ran alongside its French windows. Here easy chairs and a table with a big lamp had been placed for them. As soon as they were seated one of the s

tion Mrs. Norton sa

, that you have promised to t

ing meets fixed up for all our free days. But I don't think we'll have another for some time; for I

go?" asked Wargrave.

day?" said his friend,

l suit me. Whe

the tank at Marwa, where there is a good deal of cultivation

your rifle and try for chinkara. I saw a buck and a couple of doe there

ss. "I'll write to the Maharajah and ask him to lend us camels

m her chair

something. I've been trying over

lone on the verandah to smoke and listen for the rest of the

ned eagerly towards his hostess. Wargrave was gazing intently at her as in a voice full of feeling and pathos, a voice with a plaintive little tone in it that thrilled him stran

fe is old and h

all my fathe

orrow and my

o me, Belov

me, Beloved

ed them and wondered if this woman was to come between them and take his friend from him. Just then the bare-footed servants entered the room, carrying silv

hot Indian night under a moon shining with a brilliance that En

nly h

ous woman buried in this hole and married to a dry o

n incoherent reply beh

her in many parts of India this must be used to lie upon instead of a linen sheet, which would become saturated with perspiration. Looking carefully at the ground over which they passed for fear of snakes they reached and lay down on their beds, over each of which a punkah was suspen

at the moon for a w

look lovely to-night? Didn't t

ours for this confoundedly early parade. Goodnight," grow

in perspiration and devoured by mosquitoes; for the punkahs were still-the coolie had gone to sleep. He called to the man and aroused him, then before shutting his eyes again he

nd the

eyes resolutel

ice and comment-not that it occurred to him to try to avoid either. The Resident did not object to the frequency of his visits; and Frank saw no harm in his friendship with Mrs. Norton. But others did; and the remarks of the t

ng his absorption in Mrs. Norton's society. One afternoon his Double Company Commander, Major Hepburn, walke

ai?" (Is an

ed out and sala

hai." (The ad

nd, rising from the table at whic

epburn, entering the r

went out half

him to get up a hockey match against No. 3 Double Company to-day. He used to be very keen on playing with the men;

a to the paying of calls and other social dutie

, sir," was Raymond's equivocal repl

ok his head

f. Look here, Raymond, you're his pal. Keep your eye on him.

ot answer. The maj

'll have to see to

lked over to Wargrave's writing-table and stood up again in its place a large photograph of Mrs. Norton which he had hurr

cks to snap viciously at anyone but their drivers that chanced to come near them. At the hall-door Mrs. Norton stood, dressed in a smart and attractive costume of khaki drill, consisting of a well-cut long frock coat and breeches, with the neatest of cloth gaiters and dainty but serviceable b

off at a jolting walk that shook its riders painfully. Then it broke into a trot equally disconcerting but finally settled into an easy canter that was as comfortable a motion as its previous paces had been spine-dislocating. The route lay at first over a space of

urface into little waves and piled up masses of froth and foam against the bending reeds at one end of the tank, where, about fifty yards from the water's edge stood a couple of thorny trees, offering almost the only shade to be found for a long distance around. In the

and carried a light 12-bore gun, started to walk up the partridges with Raymond, while her husband went to search the reeds and the borders of the lake for strange insects. Wargrave armed with a

d two rare specimens; and Wargrave had shot a good buck. So in a contented frame of mind all gathered under the trees near the end of the tank, where lunch was laid by a couple of the Residency s

er. The servants spread a rug for her under the trees and placed a camel saddle for her to recline

ind being left alone, Mrs

rtable and I'm glad to have a good rest before undertaking that tiresome ride back. It's v

rhood of the tank and being desirous of searching farther afield. Wargrave and Raymond now followed him but soon separated, the latter making for the cultivation again, while his friend set

ccessfully this time, came frequ

, as through his field-glasses he scanned the pla

in sight of the adjutant standing near the edge of the fields talking to Norton. Whe

I had," he said. Then turning to the Resid

Norton "Have you finished? We'

e, I'm thirsty. I could do wit

ll join Mrs. Norton and then have an iced

iew by the rim of the basin. As they reached the slight ridge

" exclaimed Raymond. "The wat

e! Look! Look!" c

the trees under which Mrs. Norton lay fast asleep. And stealthily emerging from it