Frank, uncomfortably conscious of his dishevelled appearance and travel-stained attire, almost blushed as he took off his hat and quickened his steps to meet her, wondering who this delightful young girl--she looked about nineteen--could be. Possibly an elder sister of the children outside. But as they shook hands she said:
"I am the wife of the Political Officer here. My husband, Colonel Dermot, has just gone up to the Mess to see your C.O., Major Hunt."
Frank was astonished. This pretty young girl, scarcely more than a child herself, the mother of the two chubby babies! Touched by her kind manner he shook her hand warmly and said:
"Thank you very much for your welcome, Mrs. Dermot. It's awfully good of you, and I--I assure you I appreciate it a lot just now. I was coming to tell you--I wonder do you know that your babies--I suppose they _are_ yours--are playing what seems to me rather a dangerous game with an elephant at the side of the house."
Mrs. Dermot smiled; and the dimples that came with the smile carried his mind back for an instant to Violet.
"Yes, they are my chicks," she said. "I left them in Badshah's charge."
Frank was not altogether reassured. The young mother evidently did not know what was happening.
"But--pardon me--is it quite safe? I was a bit scared when I saw them. The animal was tossing them up in the air."
"You needn't be alarmed, Mr. Wargrave--though it's very good of you to be concerned and come to tell me," she replied. "But Badshah--that's the elephant's name--is a most careful nurse and I know that my babies are quite safe when they are in his care. He has looked after them since they were able to crawl. Come and be introduced to him. I must tell you that he is a very exceptional animal. Indeed, we almost forget that he is an animal. He has saved our lives, my husband's and mine, on more than one occasion. Next to the children and me I think that Kevin loves him better than anyone or anything else in the world. And after my chicks and Kevin and my brother I believe I do, too. As for the babies, I'm not sure that he doesn't come first with them."
She led the way round the house, and in spite of her assurances Wargrave felt a little nervous when they came in sight of the strange nurse and its charges. The tiny girl was seated on the ground tightly clasping one huge foreleg; while the boy was beating the other with his little fists, crying: