The watching girl could see the change in his face, the sharp transition from eager interest to angry resentment.
"Yes," he went on at last, "there was a fight.

It was a rather stiff affair, because a troop of British cavalry which should have supported me had turned back, owing to the want of water already mentioned.

But that did not save the officer in charge of the 24th Lancers from being severely reprimanded." "The 24th Lancers!" cried Iris.

"Lord Ventnor's regiment!" "Lord Ventnor was the officer in question." Her face crimonsed.

"Then you know him ?" she said.
"I do." "Is he your enemy ?" "Yes." "And that is why you were so agitated that last day on the _Sirdar_, when poor Lady Tozer asked me if I were engaged to him ?" "Yes." "How could it affect you?
You did not even know my name then ?" Poor Iris! She did not stop to ask herself why she framed her question in such manner, but the sailor was now too profoundly moved to heed the slip.