“LOOK AFTER MY WIFE WHILE I’M AWAY”
“All right!” said the doctor cheerfully; “and don’t you be frightened about her. Mrs North is a sensible woman, and knows better than to go and make herself ill with fretting.”
“The Memsahib parted from the sahib without kissing him!” said one of the servants wonderingly to the rest.
“What foolish talk is this?” asked Mabel’s bearer scornfully. “My last Memsahib never kissed the Sahib unless he had gained her favour by a gift of jewels.”
The tone implied that the subject might be dismissed as beneath contempt, but the man’s actions did not altogether tally with it, for after loftily waving aside the assurance of the first speaker that this Sahib and Memsahib were not as others, he retired precipitately to his own quarters. Here a lanky youth, who was slumbering peacefully in the midst of a miscellaneous collection of goods, some of them Mabel’s, and others the bearer’s own, was suddenly roused by a kick.
“Hasten to Dera Gul with a message of good omen!” said the bearer, impelling his messenger firmly in the desired direction. “Nāth Sahib and the doctor lady have quarrelled, and until they meet again he is without the protection of her magic.”
CHAPTER XIII.
ONE NIGHT.
“Awake, Miss Sahib, awake!”
“Miss North! Miss North!”