There was always an unpleasant memory tucked in the back of Chip’s mind, which he seldom cared to take out of its pigeonhole there and consider. His first meeting with Rose Maitland could not have been more inauspicious than it was. He had knocked Kadir Dhin down in the snowy path on account of his treatment of Kess; and Rose Maitland, rushing frantically to the side of the young Hindu, had called Chip a coward, with such a sting in the word that Chip could still feel the burn of it whenever he permitted himself to let it enter his mind.
As Chip and his friends turned into the path, beyond Mrs. Winfield’s boarding house, that led to and through the parade ground, Kadir Dhin was seen standing there, much as he had been on that previous occasion, only that this time he was in conversation with Duke Basil.
“They are regular Siamese twins lately,” said Clancy, with a grin. “They knew you were to arrive to-day, and have been wondering why you didn’t ride up in the hack.”
“Uff he standts in my roadt, like vot he dit pefore——”
But Kadir Dhin was moving on toward the barracks before Kess finished his sentence. The Duke had turned toward the village, moving to meet them.
“Ah, there!” he cried, putting out his hand as Chip came up. “You’re looking fine as silk again, old top. I didn’t expect it. That little rest at home has done you a lot of good.”
For an instant Chip hesitated, then held out his hand; he would be as gentlemanly as the Duke. Indeed, it was hard not to be friendly with Duke Basil on all ordinary occasions. He had a smile and a bright way with him. It was this that made him so formidable when he pitted his strength against Chip; for this, quite as much as his money, enabled him to gather and hold friends.
“I’m all right again,” said Chip, taking the measure of the fellow with his eye. “You went home yourself, I think?”
“Sure. Had a fine time, too.”
He did not offer to shake hands with Kess and Clancy, whom he had seen before that day; but he swung on along the path, after greeting Chip.