on: "You forget, it is the same among your own people. Aunt Lila was
cast out--for always. With an English girl that could never be."

Too distraught for argument, he harked back to the personal issue. "With
_you_ there would be no need. I would live altogether like an
Englishman----"

"Oh, _stop_!" she broke out desperately. "Don't start all over
again----"

"Look alive, you two slackers," shouted Roy, from the far corner of the
road. "I'm responsible for keeping the team together."

"Coming!" called Tara, and turned on Dyán a final glance of appeal. "I'm
_sorry_ from the bottom of my heart. I can't say more."--And setting
the pace, she hurried forward.

For the fraction of a second, he hesitated. An overmastering impulse
seized him to walk off in the opposite direction. His eager love for
them all had suddenly turned to gall. But pride forbade. He would not
for the world have them guess at his rebuff--not even Arúna....

* * * * *

He slept little that night; and it was not Dyán Singh of New College who
awoke next morning. It was Dyán Singh, Rajput, Descendant of the Sun.
Yet the foolish round of life must go on as if no vital change had come
to pass.

That afternoon, he was going with Roy to a select drawing-room meeting.