called the "house-keeper". Was she a _pukka_ Mem-Sahib or a
_nowker_[13] or what? And how did she "keep" the house?

A wonderful place--but far and away the most thrilling and delightful
of its wonders was the little white girl, Lucille--Damocles' first
experience of the charming genus.

The boy never forgot his first meeting with Lucille.

On his arrival at Monksmead he had been "vetted," as he expressed it,
by the Burra-Sahib, the General; and then taken to an attractive place
called "the school-room" and there had found Lucille....

"Hullo! Boy," had been her greeting. "What's your name?" He had
attentively scrutinized a small white-clad, blue-sashed maiden, with
curling chestnut hair, well-opened hazel eyes, decided chin, Greek
mouth and aristocratic cheek-bones. A maiden with a look of blood and
breed about her. (He did not sum her up in these terms at the time.)

"Can you ride, Boy?"

"A bit."

"Can you fight?"

"A bit."

"Can you swim?"

"Not well."