The Jungle Girl | Page 9

the thought came to
him that their unpleasant experience in it would henceforth be a link
between them. A few hours before he had not known of this woman's
existence! and now he had held her to his breast and tried to protect her
against the forces of Nature. The same idea seemed born in her mind at
the same time; for, when he had brushed the dust off her saddle and

lifted her on to it, she turned to look with interest at the spot as they
rode away from it.
They had not long to wait out in the open before they saw three or four
riders spread over the desert apparently looking for them, so they
cantered towards them. As soon as they were seen by the search party a
sowar galloped to meet them and, saluting, told them that the
Maharajah and the rest had taken refuge from the storm in a village a
couple of miles away. Then from the kamarband, or broad cloth
encircling his waist like a sash, he produced two bottles of soda-water
which he opened and gave to them. The liquid was warm, but
nevertheless was acceptable to their parched throats.
They followed their guide at a gallop and soon were being welcomed
by the rest of the party in a small village of low mud huts. A couple of
kneeling camels, bubbling, squealing and viciously trying to bite
everyone within reach, were being unloaded by some of the
Maharajah's servants. Other attendants were spreading a white cloth on
the ground by a well under a couple of tall palm-trees and laying on it
an excellent cold lunch for the Europeans, with bottles of champagne
standing in silver pails filled with ice.
As soon as his anxiety on Mrs. Norton's account was relieved by her
arrival, His Highness, who as an orthodox Hindu could not eat with his
guests, begged them to excuse him and, being helped with difficulty on
his horse, rode slowly off, still shaken and sorely bruised by his fall.
His nobles and officials accompanied him.
After lunch all went to inspect the heap of slain boars laid on the
ground in the shade of a hut. Wargrave's kill had been added to it.
Much to the subaltern's delight its tusk proved to be the longest and
finest of all; and he was warmly congratulated by the more experienced
pigstickers on his success. Shortly afterwards the beaters went into the
nullah again; and a few more runs added another couple of boars to the
bag. Then, after iced drinks while their saddles were being changed
back on to their own horses, the Britishers mounted and started on their
homeward journey.

Without quite knowing how it happened Wargrave found himself
riding beside Mrs. Norton behind the rest of the party. On the way back
they chatted freely and without restraint, like old friends. For the
incidents of the day had served to sweep away formality between them
and to give them a sense of long acquaintanceship and mutual liking.
And, when the time came for Mrs. Norton to separate from the others
as she reached the spot where the road to the Residency branched off,
the subaltern volunteered to accompany her.
It had not taken them long to discover that they had several tastes in
common.
"So you like good music?" she said after a chance remark of his. "It is
pleasant to find a kindred spirit in this desolate place. The ladies and
the other officers of your regiment are Philistines. Ragtime is more in
their line than Grieg or Brahms. And the other day Captain Ross asked
me if Tschaikowsky wasn't the Russian dancer at the Coliseum in
town."
Wargrave laughed.
"I know. I became very unpopular when I was Band President and
made our band play Wagner all one night during Mess. I gave up trying
to elevate their musical taste when the Colonel told me to order the
bandmaster to 'stop that awful rubbish and play something good, like
the selection from the last London revue.'"
"Are you a musician yourself?" she asked.
"I play the violin."
"Oh, how ripping! You must come often and practise with me. I've an
excellent piano; but I rarely touch it now. My husband takes no interest
in music--or indeed, in anything else I like. But, then, I am not thrilled
by his one absorbing passion in life--insects. So we're quits, I suppose."
Their horses were walking silently over the soft sand; and Wargrave
heard her give a little sigh. Was it possible, he wondered, that the

husband of this charming woman did not appreciate her and her
attractions as he ought?
She went on with a change of manner:
"When are you coming to call on me? I am a Duty