[Illustration: Where did you get this medal?]

"That's what I started out to tell you."

"Were you afraid we might wish to wear it or have it made over?"
laughed Winnie, who never went below the surface of things.

"No. The truth is, I had almost forgotten it. But the preparations
for India recalled it to mind. It represents a royal title conferred
on me by the king of Allaha. You have never been to India, Kit.
Allaha is the name we hunters give that border kingdom. Some day
England will gobble it up; only waiting for a good excuse."

"What big thing did you do?" demanded Kathlyn, her eyes still filled
with scrutiny.

"What makes you think it was big?" jestingly.

"Because," she answered seriously, "you never do anything but big
things. As the lion is among beasts, you are among men."

"Good lord!" The colonel reached embarrassedly for his pipe, lighted
it, puffed a few minutes, then laid it down. "India is full of strange
tongues and strange kingdoms and principalities. Most of them are
dominated by the British Raj, some are only protected, while others do
about as they please. This state"--touching the order--"does about as
it did since the days of the first white rover who touched the shores
of Hind. It is small, but that signifies nothing; for you can brew a
mighty poison in a small pot. Well, I happened to save the old king's