ThatlettermadeAgnesLaiterveryunhappy，andshecriedandputitawayinherdesk，andbecameMrsSomebodyElseforthegoodofherfamilyWhichisthefirstdutyofeveryChristianmaid。
　　Philwenthisways，andthoughtnomoreofhisletter，exceptasanartistthinksofaneatlytouched-insketchHiswayswerenotbad，buttheywerenotaltogethergooduntiltheybroughthimacrossDunmaya，thedaughterofaRajputex-Subadar-MajorofourNativeArmyThegirlhadastrainofHillbloodinher，and，liketheHillwomen，wasnotapurdahnashinWherePhilmether，orhowheheardofher，doesnotmatterShewasagoodgirlandhandsome，and，inherway，verycleverandshrewd；though，ofcourse，alittlehardItistoberememberedthatPhilwaslivingverycomfortably，denyinghimselfnosmallluxury，neverputtingbyananna，verysatisfiedwithhimselfandhisgoodintentions，wasdroppingallhisEnglishcorrespondentsonebyone，andbeginningmoreandmoretolookuponthislandashishomeSomemenfallthisway；andtheyareofnouseafterwardsTheclimatewherehewasstationedwasgood，anditreallydidnotseemtohimthattherewasanythingtogoHomefor。
　　Hedidwhatmanyplantershavedonebeforehim——thatistosay，hemadeuphismindtomarryaHillgirlandsettledownHewassevenandtwentythen，withalonglifebeforehim，butnospirittogothroughwithitSohemarriedDunmayabytheformsoftheEnglishChurch，andsomefellow-planterssaidhewasafool，andsomesaidhewasawisemanDunmayawasathoroughlyhonestgirl，and，inspiteofherreverenceforanEnglishman，hadareasonableestimateofherhusband’sweaknessesShemanagedhimtenderly，andbecame，inlessthanayear，averypassableimitationofanEnglishladyindressandcarriage[ItiscurioustothinkthataHillman，afteralifetime’seducation，isaHillmanstill；butaHillwomancaninsixmonthsmastermostofthewaysofherEnglishsistersTherewasacooliewomanonceButthatisanotherstory。]Dunmayadressedbypreferenceinblackandyellow，andlookedwell。
　　MeantimetheletterlayinAgnes’sdesk，andnowandagainshewouldthinkofpoorresolutehard-workingPhilamongthecobrasandtigersofDarjiling，toilinginthevainhopethatshemightcomebacktohimHerhusbandwasworthtenPhils，exceptthathehadrheumatismoftheheartThreeyearsafterhewasmarried——andafterhehadtriedNiceandAlgeriaforhiscomplaint——hewenttoBombay，wherehedied，andsetAgnesfreeBeingadevoutwoman，shelookedonhisdeathandtheplaceofit，asadirectinterpositionofProvidence，andwhenshehadrecoveredfromtheshock，shetookoutandrereadPhil’sletterwiththe“etc。，etc……”
　　andthebigdashes，andthelittledashes，andkisseditseveraltimesNooneknewherinBombay；shehadherhusband’sincome，whichwasalargeone，andPhilwascloseathandItwaswrongandimproper，ofcourse，butshedecided，asheroinesdoinnovels，tofindheroldlover，toofferhimherhandandhergold，andwithhimspendtherestofherlifeinsomespotfarfromunsympatheticsoulsShesatfortwomonths，aloneinWatson’sHotel，elaboratingthisdecision，andthepicturewasaprettyoneThenshesetoutinsearchofPhilGarron，Assistantonateaplantationwithamorethanusuallyunpronounceablename……
　　ShefoundhimShespentamonthoverit，，forhisplantationwasnotintheDarjilingdistrictatall，butnearerKangraPhilwasverylittlealtered，andDunmayawasverynicetoher。
　　NowtheparticularsinandshameofthewholebusinessisthatPhil，whoreallyisnotworththinkingoftwice，wasandislovedbyDunmaya，andmorethanlovedbyAgnes，thewholeofwhoselifeheseemstohavespoilt。
　　Worstofall，Dunmayaismakingadecentmanofhim；andhewillbeultimatelysavedfromperditionthroughhertraining。
　　Whichismanifestlyunfair。
　　FALSEDAWN。
　　To-nightGodknowswhatthingshalltide，TheEarthisrackedandfaint——
　　Expectant，sleepless，open-eyed；
　　Andwe，whofromtheEarthweremade，ThrillwithourMother’spain。
　　InDurance。
　　Nomanwilleverknowtheexacttruthofthisstory；thoughwomenmaysometimeswhisperittooneanotherafteradance，whentheyareputtinguptheirhairforthenightandcomparinglistsofvictimsAman，ofcourse，cannotassistatthesefunctionsSothetalemustbetoldfromtheoutside——inthedark——allwrong。
　　Neverpraiseasistertoasister，inthehopeofyourcomplimentsreachingtheproperears，andsopreparingthewayforyoulateronSistersarewomenfirst，andsistersafterwards；andyouwillfindthatyoudoyourselfharm。
　　SaumarezknewthiswhenhemadeuphismindtoproposetotheelderMissCopleighSaumarezwasastrangeman，withfewmerits，sofarasmencouldsee，thoughhewaspopularwithwomen，andcarriedenoughconceittostockaViceroy’sCouncilandleavealittleoverfortheCommander-in-Chief’sStaffHewasaCivilianVerymanywomentookaninterestinSaumarez，perhaps，becausehismannertothemwasoffensiveIfyouhitaponyoverthenoseattheoutsetofyouracquaintance，hemaynotloveyou，buthewilltakeadeepinterestinyourmovementseverafterwardsTheelderMissCopleighwasnice，plump，winningandprettyTheyoungerwasnotsopretty，and，frommendisregardingthehintsetforthabove，herstylewasrepellantandunattractiveBothgirlshad，practically，thesamefigure，andtherewasastronglikenessbetweentheminlookandvoice；thoughnoonecoulddoubtforaninstantwhichwasthenicerofthetwo。
　　Saumarezmadeuphismind，assoonastheycameintothestationfromBehar，tomarrytheelderoneAtleast，weallmadesurethathewould，whichcomestothesamethingShewastwoandtwenty，andhewasthirty-three，withpayandallowancesofnearlyfourteenhundredrupeesamonthSothematch，aswearrangedit，wasineverywayagoodoneSaumarezwashisname，andsummarywashisnature，asamanoncesaidHavingdraftedhisResolution，heformedaSelectCommitteeofOnetosituponit，andresolvedtotakehistimeInourunpleasantslang，theCopleighgirls“huntedincouples。”Thatistosay，youcoulddonothingwithonewithouttheotherTheywereverylovingsisters；buttheirmutualaffectionwassometimesinconvenientSaumarezheldthebalance-
　　hairtruebetweenthem，andnonebuthimselfcouldhavesaidtowhichsidehisheartinclined；thougheveryoneguessedHerodewiththemagooddealanddancedwiththem，butheneversucceededindetachingthemfromeachotherforanylengthoftime。
　　Womensaidthatthetwogirlskepttogetherthroughdeepmistrust，eachfearingthattheotherwouldstealamarchonherButthathasnothingtodowithamanSaumarezwassilentforgoodorbad，andasbusiness-likelyattentiveashecouldbe，havingdueregardtohisworkandhispoloBeyonddoubtbothgirlswerefondofhim。
　　Asthehotweatherdrewnearer，andSaumarezmadenosign，womensaidthatyoucouldseetheirtroubleintheeyesofthegirls——
　　thattheywerelookingstrained，anxious，andirritableMenarequiteblindinthesemattersunlesstheyhavemoreofthewomanthanthemanintheircomposition，inwhichcaseitdoesnotmatterwhattheysayorthinkImaintainitwasthehotAprildaysthattookthecoloroutoftheCopleighgirls’cheeksTheyshouldhavebeensenttotheHillsearlyNoone——manorwoman——feelsanangelwhenthehotweatherisapproachingTheyoungersistergrewmorecynical——nottosayacid——inherways；andthewinningnessoftheelderworethinTherewasmoreeffortinit。
　　NowtheStationwhereinallthesethingshappenedwas，thoughnotalittleone，offthelineofrail，andsufferedthroughwantofattentionTherewerenogardensorbandsoramusementsworthspeakingof，anditwasnearlyaday’sjourneytocomeintoLahoreforadancePeopleweregratefulforsmallthingstointerestthem。
　　AboutthebeginningofMay，andjustbeforethefinalexodusofHill-goers，whentheweatherwasveryhotandtherewerenotmorethantwentypeopleintheStation，Saumarezgaveamoonlightriding-picnicatanoldtomb，sixmilesaway，nearthebedoftheriverItwasa“Noah’sArk“picnic；andtherewastobetheusualarrangementofquarter-mileintervalsbetweeneachcouple，onaccountofthedustSixcouplescamealtogether，includingchaperonsMoonlightpicnicsareusefuljustattheveryendoftheseason，beforeallthegirlsgoawaytotheHillsTheyleadtounderstandings，andshouldbeencouragedbychaperones；
　　especiallythosewhosegirlslooksweetishinridinghabitsI
　　knewacaseonceButthatisanotherstoryThatpicnicwascalledthe“GreatPopPicnic。”becauseeveryoneknewSaumarezwouldproposethentotheeldestMissCopleigh；and，besidehisaffair，therewasanotherwhichmightpossiblycometohappiness。
　　Thesocialatmospherewasheavilychargedandwantedclearing。
　　Wemetattheparade-groundatten：thenightwasfearfullyhot。
　　Thehorsessweatedevenatwalking-pace，butanythingwasbetterthansittingstillinourowndarkhousesWhenwemovedoffunderthefullmoonwewerefourcouples，onetriplet，andMrSaumarezrodewiththeCopleighgirls，andIloiteredatthetailoftheprocession，wonderingwithwhomSaumarezwouldridehome。
　　Everyonewashappyandcontented；butweallfeltthatthingsweregoingtohappenWerodeslowly：anditwasnearlymidnightbeforewereachedtheoldtomb，facingtheruinedtank，inthedecayedgardenswhereweweregoingtoeatanddrinkIwaslateincomingup；andbeforeIwentintothegarden，Isawthatthehorizontothenorthcarriedafaint，dun-coloredfeatherButnoonewouldhavethankedmeforspoilingsowell-managedanentertainmentasthispicnic——andadust-storm，moreorless，doesnogreatharm。
　　WegatheredbythetankSomeonehadbroughtoutabanjo——whichisamostsentimentalinstrument——andthreeorfourofussang。
　　YoumustnotlaughatthisOuramusementsinout-of-the-wayStationsareveryfewindeedThenwetalkedingroupsortogether，lyingunderthetrees，withthesun-bakedrosesdroppingtheirpetalsonourfeet，untilsupperwasreadyItwasabeautifulsupper，ascoldandasicedasyoucouldwish；andwestayedlongoverit。
　　Ihadfeltthattheairwasgrowinghotterandhotter；butnobodyseemedtonoticeituntilthemoonwentoutandaburninghotwindbeganlashingtheorange-treeswithasoundlikethenoiseoftheseaBeforeweknewwherewewere，thedust-stormwasonus，andeverythingwasroaring，whirlingdarknessThesupper-tablewasblownbodilyintothetankWewereafraidofstayinganywhereneartheoldtombforfearitmightbeblowndownSowefeltourwaytotheorange-treeswherethehorseswerepicketedandwaitedforthestormtoblowoverThenthelittlelightthatwasleftvanished，andyoucouldnotseeyourhandbeforeyourfaceTheairwasheavywithdustandsandfromthebedoftheriver，thatfilledbootsandpocketsanddrifteddownnecksandcoatedeyebrowsandmoustachesItwasoneoftheworstdust-stormsoftheyear。
　　Wewereallhuddledtogetherclosetothetremblinghorses，withthethunderclatteringoverhead，andthelightningspurtinglikewaterfromasluice，allwaysatonceTherewasnodanger，ofcourse，unlessthehorsesbrokelooseIwasstandingwithmyheaddownwardandmyhandsovermymouth，hearingthetreesthrashingeachotherIcouldnotseewhowasnextmetilltheflashescame。
　　ThenIfoundthatIwaspackednearSaumarezandtheeldestMissCopleigh，withmyownhorsejustinfrontofmeIrecognizedtheeldestMissCopleigh，becauseshehadapagriroundherhelmet，andtheyoungerhadnotAlltheelectricityintheairhadgoneintomybodyandIwasquiveringandtinglingfromheadtofoot——exactlyasacornshootsandtinglesbeforerainItwasagrandstorm。
　　Thewindseemedtobepickinguptheearthandpitchingittoleewardingreatheaps；andtheheatbeatupfromthegroundliketheheatoftheDayofJudgment。
　　Thestormlulledslightlyafterthefirsthalf-hour，andIheardadespairinglittlevoiceclosetomyear，sayingtoitself，quietlyandsoftly，asifsomelostsoulwereflyingaboutwiththewind：
　　“OmyGod！”ThentheyoungerMissCopleighstumbledintomyarms，saying：“Whereismyhorse？GetmyhorseIwanttogohomeI
　　WANTtogohomeTakemehome。”
　　Ithoughtthatthelightningandtheblackdarknesshadfrightenedher；soIsaidtherewasnodanger，butshemustwaittillthestormblewoverSheanswered：“ItisnotTHAT！ItisnotTHAT！
　　Iwanttogohome！Otakemeawayfromhere！”
　　Isaidthatshecouldnotgotillthelightcame；butIfeltherbrushpastmeandgoawayItwastoodarktoseewhereThenthewholeskywassplitopenwithonetremendousflash，asiftheendoftheworldwerecoming，andallthewomenshrieked。