"
"We were in at half past twelve," the Major said. "I can stand a
good deal of smoke, but the club atmosphere was too thick for me."
"Everything went off very well yesterday, didn't it?" she asked.
"Very well, I thought, my dear, thanks to you and the Doctor and
Rumzan."
"I had very little to do with it," she laughed.
"Well, I don't think you had much to do with the absolute arrangements,
Isobel, but I thought you did very well as hostess; it seemed to
me that there was a good deal of laughing and fun at your end of
the table."
"Yes; you see we had the two Miss Hunters and the Doctor there, and
Mr. Gregson, who took me in, turned out a very merry old gentleman."
"He would not be pleased if he heard you call him old, Isobel."
"Well, of course he is not absolutely old, but being a commissioner,
and all that sort of thing, gives one the idea of being old; but
there are the others."
And they went into the breakfast room.
The first race was set for two o'clock, and at half past one Mrs.
Hunter's carriage, with the four ladies, arrived at the inclosure.
The horses were taken out, and the carriage wheeled into its
place, and then Isobel and the two Miss Hunters prepared to enjoy
the scene.
It was a very gay one. The course was at present covered with a
throng of natives in their bright colored garments, and mixed with
them were the scarlet uniforms of the Sepoys of the 103d and other
regiments. On the opposite side were a number of native vehicles
of various descriptions, and some elephants with painted faces and
gorgeous trappings, and with howdahs shaded by pavilions glittering
with gilt and silver.
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