when I got on her back that the consciousness visited me of
something forgotten. It was my mission--to propose to take Armour,
if he were 'possible,' to call upon the Harrises. Oh, well, he was
possible enough; I supposed he possessed a coat, though he hadn't
been wearing it; and I could arrange it by letter. Meanwhile, as
was only fair, I turned the mare in the direction of the drawing-
room where I had reason to believe that Miss Dora Harris was
quenching her impatience in tea.



Chapter 2.IV.

The very next morning I met Armour on my way to the office. He was
ambling along on the leanest and most ill-groomed of bazaar ponies,
and he wore a bowler. In Simla sun hats are admissible, straw hats
are presentable, and soft felt hats are superior, but you must not
wear a bowler. I might almost say that if one's glance falls upon a
bowler, one hardly looks further; the expectation of finding an
acquaintance under it is so vain. In this instance, I did look
further, fortunately, though in doing so I was compelled to notice
that the bowler was not lifted in answer to my salutation. Of no
importance in itself, of course, but betraying in Armour a certain
lack of observation. I felt the Departmental Head crumble in me,
however, as I recognized him, and I pulled the mare up in a manner
which she plainly resented. It was my opportunity to do cautiously
and delicately what I had omitted the afternoon before; but my
recollection is that I was very clumsy.

I said something about the dust, and he said something about the