Almostdirectlyafterthis，Ifeltaman’shandonmyshoulderandheardSaumarezbellowinginmyearThroughtherattlingofthetreesandhowlingofthewind，Ididnotcatchhiswordsatonce，butatlastIheardhimsay：“I’veproposedtothewrongone！WhatshallIdo？”SaumarezhadnooccasiontomakethisconfidencetomeIwasneverafriendofhis，noramInow；butIfancyneitherofuswereourselvesjustthenHewasshakingashestoodwithexcitement，andIwasfeelingqueeralloverwiththeelectricity。
Icouldnotthinkofanythingtosayexcept：——“Morefoolyouforproposinginadust-storm。”ButIdidnotseehowthatwouldimprovethemistake。
Thenheshouted：“Where’sEdith——EdithCopleigh？”EdithwastheyoungestsisterIansweredoutofmyastonishment：——“WhatdoyouwantwithHER？”Wouldyoubelieveit，forthenexttwominutes，heandIwereshoutingateachotherlikemaniacs——hevowingthatitwastheyoungestsisterhehadmeanttoproposetoallalong，andI
tellinghimtillmythroatwashoarsethathemusthavemadeamistake！Ican’taccountforthisexcept，again，bythefactthatwewereneitherofusourselvesEverythingseemedtomelikeabaddream——fromthestampingofthehorsesinthedarknesstoSaumareztellingmethestoryofhislovingEdithCopleighsincethefirstHewasstillclawingmyshoulderandbeggingmetotellhimwhereEdithCopleighwas，whenanotherlullcameandbroughtlightwithit，andwesawthedust-cloudformingontheplaininfrontofusSoweknewtheworstwasoverThemoonwaslowdown，andtherewasjusttheglimmerofthefalsedawnthatcomesaboutanhourbeforetherealoneButthelightwasveryfaint，andtheduncloudroaredlikeabullIwonderedwhereEdithCopleighhadgone；andasIwaswonderingIsawthreethingstogether：FirstMaudCopleigh’sfacecomesmilingoutofthedarknessandmovetowardsSaumarez，whowasstandingbymeI
heardthegirlwhisper，“George。”andslideherarmthroughthearmthatwasnotclawingmyshoulder，andIsawthatlookonherfacewhichonlycomesonceortwiceinalifetime-whenawomanisperfectlyhappyandtheairisfulloftrumpetsandgorgeous-
coloredfireandtheEarthturnsintocloudbecauseshelovesandislovedAtthesametime，IsawSaumarez’sfaceasheheardMaudCopleigh’svoice，andfiftyyardsawayfromtheclumpoforange-
treesIsawabrownhollandhabitgettinguponahorse。
Itmusthavebeenmystateofover-excitementthatmademesoquicktomeddlewithwhatdidnotconcernmeSaumarezwasmovingofftothehabit；butIpushedhimbackandsaid：——“Stophereandexplain。
I’llfetchherback！”andIranouttogetatmyownhorseIhadaperfectlyunnecessarynotionthateverythingmustbedonedecentlyandinorder，andthatSaumarez’sfirstcarewastowipethehappylookoutofMaudCopleigh’sfaceAllthetimeIwaslinkingupthecurb-chainIwonderedhowhewoulddoit。
IcanteredafterEdithCopleigh，thinkingtobringherbackslowlyonsomepretenceoranotherButshegallopedawayassoonasshesawme，andIwasforcedtorideafterherinearnestShecalledbackoverhershoulder——“Goaway！I’mgoinghomeOh，goaway！”
twoorthreetimes；butmybusinesswastocatchherfirst，andarguelaterTheridejustfittedinwiththerestoftheevildreamThegroundwasverybad，andnowandagainwerushedthroughthewhirling，choking“dust-devils“intheskirtsoftheflyingstormTherewasaburninghotwindblowingthatbroughtupastenchofstalebrick-kilnswithit；andthroughthehalflightandthroughthedust-devils，acrossthatdesolateplain，flickeredthebrownhollandhabitonthegrayhorseSheheadedfortheStationatfirstThenshewheeledroundandsetofffortheriverthroughbedsofburntdownjungle-grass，badeventorideapigoverIncoldbloodIshouldneverhavedreamedofgoingoversuchacountryatnight，butitseemedquiterightandnaturalwiththelightningcracklingoverhead，andareeklikethesmellofthePitinmynostrilsIrodeandshouted，andshebentforwardandlashedherhorse，andtheaftermathofthedust-stormcameupandcaughtusboth，anddroveusdownwindlikepiecesofpaper。
Idon’tknowhowfarwerode；butthedrummingofthehorse-hoofsandtheroarofthewindandtheraceofthefaintblood-redmoonthroughtheyellowmistseemedtohavegoneonforyearsandyears，andIwasliterallydrenchedwithsweatfrommyhelmettomygaiterswhenthegraystumbled，recoveredhimself，andpulledupdeadlameMybrutewasusedupaltogetherEdithCopleighwasinasadstate，plasteredwithdust，herhelmetoff，andcryingbitterly“Whycan’tyouletmealone？”shesaid“IonlywantedtogetawayandgohomeOh，PLEASEletmego！”
“Youhavegottocomebackwithme，MissCopleighSaumarezhassomethingtosaytoyou。”
Itwasafoolishwayofputtingit；butIhardlyknewMissCopleigh；and，thoughIwasplayingProvidenceatthecostofmyhorse，IcouldnottellherinasmanywordswhatSaumarezhadtoldmeIthoughthecoulddothatbetterhimselfAllherpretenceaboutbeingtiredandwantingtogohomebrokedown，andsherockedherselftoandfrointhesaddleasshesobbed，andthehotwindblewherblackhairtoleewardIamnotgoingtorepeatwhatshesaid，becauseshewasutterlyunstrung。
This，ifyouplease，wasthecynicalMissCopleighHerewasI，almostanutterstrangertoher，tryingtotellherthatSaumarezlovedherandshewastocomebacktohearhimsayso！IbelieveI
mademyselfunderstood，forshegatheredthegraytogetherandmadehimhobblesomehow，andwesetoffforthetomb，whilethestormwentthunderingdowntoUmballaandafewbigdropsofwarmrainfellIfoundoutthatshehadbeenstandingclosetoSaumarezwhenheproposedtohersisterandhadwantedtogohomeandcryinpeace，asanEnglishgirlshouldShedabbledhereyeswithherpocket-handkerchiefaswewentalong，andbabbledtomeoutofsheerlightnessofheartandhysteriaThatwasperfectlyunnatural；andyet，itseemedallrightatthetimeandintheplaceAlltheworldwasonlythetwoCopleighgirls，SaumarezandI，ringedinwiththelightningandthedark；andtheguidanceofthismisguidedworldseemedtolieinmyhands。
Whenwereturnedtothetombinthedeep，deadstillnessthatfollowedthestorm，thedawnwasjustbreakingandnobodyhadgoneawayTheywerewaitingforourreturnSaumarezmostofall。
HisfacewaswhiteanddrawnAsMissCopleighandIlimpedup，hecameforwardtomeetus，and，whenhehelpedherdownfromhersaddle，hekissedherbeforeallthepicnicItwaslikeasceneinatheatre，andthelikenesswasheightenedbyallthedust-
white，ghostly-lookingmenandwomenundertheorange-trees，clappingtheirhands，asiftheywerewatchingaplay——atSaumarez’schoiceIneverknewanythingsoun-Englishinmylife。
Lastly，SaumarezsaidwemustallgohomeortheStationwouldcomeouttolookforus，andWOULDIbegoodenoughtoridehomewithMaudCopleigh？Nothingwouldgivemegreaterpleasure，Isaid。
So，weformedup，sixcouplesinall，andwentbacktwobytwo；
SaumarezwalkingatthesideofEdithCopleigh，whowasridinghishorse。
Theairwascleared；andlittlebylittle，asthesunrose，Ifeltwewerealldroppingbackagainintoordinarymenandwomenandthatthe“GreatPopPicnic“wasathingaltogetherapartandoutoftheworld——nevertohappenagainIthadgonewiththedust-stormandthetingleinthehotair。
Ifelttiredandlimp，andagooddealashamedofmyselfasIwentinforabathandsomesleep。
Thereisawoman’sversionofthisstory，butitwillneverbewrittenunlessMaudCopleighcarestotry。
THERESCUEOFPLUFFLES。
Thus，foraseason，theyfoughtitfair——
SheandhiscousinMay——
Tactful，talented，debonnaire，Decorousfoeswerethey；
ButnevercanbattleofmancompareWithmercilessfemininefray。
TwoandOne。
MrsHauksbeewassometimesnicetoherownsexHereisastorytoprovethis；andyoucanbelievejustasmuchaseveryouplease。
Pluffleswasasubalterninthe“Unmentionables。”Hewascallow，evenforasubalternHewascallowallover——likeacanarythathadnotfinishedfledgingitselfTheworstofitwashehadthreetimesasmuchmoneyaswasgoodforhim；Pluffles’PapabeingarichmanandPlufflesbeingtheonlysonPluffles’MammaadoredhimShewasonlyalittlelesscallowthanPlufflesandshebelievedeverythinghesaid。
Pluffles’weaknesswasnotbelievingwhatpeoplesaidHepreferredwhathecalled“trustingtohisownjudgment。”Hehadasmuchjudgmentashehadseatorhands；andthispreferencetumbledhimintotroubleonceortwiceButthebiggesttroublePlufflesevermanufacturedcameaboutatSimla——someyearsago，whenhewasfour-and-twenty。
Hebeganbytrustingtohisownjudgment，asusual，andtheresultwasthat，afteratime，hewasboundhandandfoottoMrsReiver’s’rickshawwheels。
TherewasnothinggoodaboutMrsReiver，unlessitwasherdress。
Shewasbadfromherhair——whichstartedlifeonaBrittany’sgirl’shead——toherboot-heels，whichweretwoandthree-eighthincheshighShewasnothonestlymischievouslikeMrs。
Hauksbee；
shewaswickedinabusiness-likeway。
Therewasneveranyscandal——shehadnotgenerousimpulsesenoughforthatShewastheexceptionwhichprovedtherulethatAnglo-
IndianladiesareineverywayasniceastheirsistersatHome。
Shespentherlifeinprovingthatrule。
MrsHauksbeeandshehatedeachotherferventlyTheyheardfartoomuchtoclash；butthethingstheysaidofeachotherwerestartling——nottosayoriginalMrsHauksbeewashonest——honestasherownfrontteeth——and，butforherloveofmischief，wouldhavebeenawoman’swomanTherewasnohonestyaboutMrs。
Reiver；
nothingbutselfishnessAndatthebeginningoftheseason，poorlittlePlufflesfellapreytoherShelaidherselfouttothatend，andwhowasPluffles，toresist？Hewentontrustingtohisjudgment，andhegotjudged。
IhaveseenHayesarguewithatoughhorse——Ihaveseenatonga-
drivercoerceastubbornpony——Ihaveseenariotoussetterbrokentogunbyahardkeeper——butthebreaking-inofPlufflesofthe“Unmentionables“wasbeyondalltheseHelearnedtofetchandcarrylikeadog，andtowaitlikeone，too，forawordfromMrs。
ReiverHelearnedtokeepappointmentswhichMrsReiverhadnointentionofkeepingHelearnedtotakethankfullydanceswhichMrsReiverhadnointentionofgivinghimHelearnedtoshiverforanhourandaquarteronthewindwardsideofElysiumwhileMrsReiverwasmakinguphermindtocomeforarideHelearnedtohuntfora’rickshaw，inalightdress-suitunderapeltingrain，andtowalkbythesideofthat’rickshawwhenhehadfounditHelearnedwhatitwastobespokentolikeacoolieandorderedaboutlikeacookHelearnedallthisandmanyotherthingsbesidesAndhepaidforhisschooling。
Perhaps，insomehazyway，hefanciedthatitwasfineandimpressive，thatitgavehimastatusamongmen，andwasaltogetherthethingtodoItwasnobody’sbusinesstowarnPlufflesthathewasunwiseThepacethatseasonwastoogoodtoinquire；andmeddlingwithanotherman’sfollyisalwaysthanklesswork。
Pluffles’ColonelshouldhaveorderedhimbacktohisregimentwhenheheardhowthingsweregoingButPluffleshadgothimselfengagedtoagirlinEnglandthelasttimehewenthome；andiftherewasonethingmorethananotherwhichtheColoneldetested，itwasamarriedsubalternHechuckledwhenheheardoftheeducationofPluffles，andsaiditwas“goodtrainingfortheboy。”
ButitwasnotgoodtrainingintheleastItledhimintospendingmoneybeyondhismeans，whichweregood：abovethat，theeducationspoiltanaverageboyandmadeitatenth-ratemanofanobjectionablekindHewanderedintoabadset，andhislittlebillatHamilton’swasathingtowonderat。
ThenMrsHauksbeerosetotheoccasionSheplayedhergamealone，knowingwhatpeoplewouldsayofher；andsheplayeditforthesakeofagirlshehadneverseenPluffles’fianceewastocomeout，underthechaperonageofanaunt，inOctober，tobemarriedtoPluffles。
AtthebeginningofAugust，MrsHauksbeediscoveredthatitwastimetointerfereAmanwhoridesmuchknowsexactlywhatahorseisgoingtodonextbeforehedoesitInthesameway，awomanofMrsHauksbee’sexperienceknowsaccuratelyhowaboywillbehaveundercertaincircumstances——notablywhenheisinfatuatedwithoneofMrsReiver’sstampShesaidthat，soonerorlater，littlePluffleswouldbreakoffthatengagementfornothingatall——simplytogratifyMrsReiver，who，inreturn，wouldkeephimatherfeetandinherservicejustsolongasshefounditworthherwhile。
ShesaidsheknewthesignsofthesethingsIfshedidnot，nooneelsecould。
ThenshewentforthtocapturePlufflesunderthegunsoftheenemy；justasMrsCusack-BremmilcarriedawayBremmilunderMrs。
Hauksbee’seyes。