“You would have if you had known Kim long,” said Mrs Brand dryly.
“I’ve heard that there have been more men hurt than you can count on your fingers and toes through a too pressing curiosity about those ear-rings,” some one remarked.
“Yes, a fellow on the Rand once nearly died of that complaint,” added Tommy Dennison. “It is a subject that Kim will stand no ragging about.”
“She must have been a very pretty woman,” grinned the doctor.
I suddenly felt very tired and low-spirited and longed to go away from them. I was sick of their wretched card-party. I wondered what all the “frumps and dowds” were doing and their nice business-like men, and was inspired to make a remark.
“Do the Fort George men spend their evenings talking scandal also?”
There was absolute silence and then all the men began to grin.
“You can search me!” averred Mr Hunloke, but his partner answered blithely:
“Oh! they’re getting ready to tackle Loben.”
“There’s a lot of dirty work attached to an expedition and some one’s got to do it,” Gerry Deshon said. “Blow and Kinsella are up to their eyes, and a lot of the other fellows here are experienced men in wars with niggers. None of us would be of much use at present.”