Then, disguising himself once more, he had managed to escape just before the dawn, and had lain hidden for hours among the boulders of the river-bed, fearing to emerge by daylight.  But in the evening he had left his hiding-place, and found the fort to be occupied by British troops.  The Waris had gone to earth before their advance, and they had found the place deserted.

He had forthwith presented himself in his disguise and been taken before Phil, the officer-in-command.

“But surely he knew you?”

“Yes, he knew me.  But I swore him to secrecy.”

She drew a little closer to him.

“Eustace, why?” she whispered.

His arm tightened about her.

“I had to know the truth first,” he said.

“Oh!” she murmured.  “And now—­are you satisfied?”

He bent and kissed her forehead gravely, tenderly.

“I am satisfied,” he said.

* * * * *

“Well, didn’t I tell you so?” laughed Phil, when they shook hands later.

Audrey did not ask him what he meant, for, with all his honesty, Phil could be enigmatical when he chose.  Moreover, it really didn’t much matter, for, as she tacitly admitted to herself, fond as she was of him, he no longer occupied the place of honour in her thoughts, and she was not vitally interested in him now that the trouble was over.

So when, a few weeks later, Phil cheerily packed his belongings and departed to Poonah, having effected an exchange into the other battalion stationed there, only his major understood why, and was sorry.

ETHEL M. DELL’S NOVELS

May be had wherever books are sold.  Ask for Grosset & Dunlap’s list

THE LAMP IN THE DESERT

The scene of this splendid story is laid in India and tells of the lamp of love that continues to shine through all sorts of tribulations to final happiness.

GREATHEART

The story of a cripple whose deformed body conceals a noble soul.

THE HUNDREDTH CHANCE

A hero who worked to win even when there was only “a hundredth chance.”

THE SWINDLER

The story of a “bad man’s” soul revealed by a woman’s faith.

THE TIDAL WAVE

Tales of love and of women who learned to know the true from the false.

THE SAFETY CURTAIN

A very vivid love story of India.  The volume also contains four other long stories of equal interest.

Grosset & Dunlap, Publishers, New York