She turned at the head of the steps.  Her eyes were alight, feverish.  She was strung to so high a pitch of excitement that she scarcely knew what she did.

“No, I can’t wait,” she threw back to him.  “But Ratcliffe sahib will be in directly.  Tell him when he comes.”  And with that she was gone, running swiftly, as one who obeys an urgent call.

The lamps were alight in the drawing-room and the glare streamed out across the verandah.  It dazzled her as she entered, but yet she did not pause.  Not till that moment did she realize how great a void the absence of one man had made in her life.  Not till that moment did she understand the reason of the crushing sense of loss which for so long had been with her.  Perhaps she did not fully understand it then, but there was no hiding the sudden rapture of gladness at her heart.  It pierced her almost with a sense of pain, and with it came a stabbing certainty that this was no new thing—­that sometime, somewhere, she had felt it all before.

He was on his feet lounging against the mantelpiece as she entered, but he straightened himself to meet her, and dazzled though she was, she saw his outstretched hand.

As it closed upon her own, she found her voice, though panting between tears and laughter.  “Max!  You—­you!”

“A happy Christmas to you!” said Max.

He grasped her hand very firmly.  How well she remembered that strong restraining grip!  How often had she felt the controlling magic of it!  Once she had even hotly resented it; but to-day—­to-day—­

She saw his mouth go up at one corner in the old, quizzing way. “’If my heart by signs can tell—­’” he began, and ended, openly smiling, “I should almost dare to fancy you were—­well, shall we say not annoyed?—­to see me.”

“Annoyed!” she laughed, still struggling with an outrageous desire to cry.

He looked at her critically.  “You haven’t grown any plumper since I saw you last, fair lady.  Do you live on air in these parts?  You will be flattered to hear that your resemblance to the great Nick is more pronounced than ever.  Where is he, by the way?  I hope he hasn’t been eaten by a tiger, though I scarcely think any tiger, would be such a fool as to expect to find any nourishment in him.”

“Oh, don’t be horrid!” she said, laughing more naturally.  “That’s too gruesome a joke after what happened this afternoon.”

“I wasn’t joking,” said Max.  “I’m a serious-minded person.  And what did happen this afternoon—­if it isn’t indiscreet to ask?”

She raised her eyes to his in astonishment.  “But you were there!” she said.

“Who told you so?” demanded Max.

“I saw you myself, I spoke to you.  I told you about—­about Noel being in the temple—­with the tiger.”  She halted a little over the explanation.

Max smiled at her—­a curious smile that seemed to express relief.  “I didn’t think you recognized me in a helmet,” he said.  “Yes, I was there.  I’d been on the brute’s track since daybreak.  I’m told that it’s the proper thing to let natives do all the stalking in this country.  But to my mind that’s half the fun.  Gives the tiger a sporting chance, too.”