No one--man or woman--feels an angel when the
hot weather is approaching. The younger sister grew more cynical--not to say
acid--in her ways; and the winningness of the elder wore thin. There was more
effort in it.
Now the Station wherein all these things happened was, though not a little
one, off the line of rail, and suffered through want of attention. There were
no gardens or bands or amusements worth speaking of, and it was nearly a day's
journey to come into Lahore for a dance. People were grateful for small things
to interest them.
About the beginning of May, and just before the final exodus of Hill-goers,
when the weather was very hot and there were not more than twenty people in
the Station, Saumarez gave a moonlight riding-picnic at an old tomb, six miles
away, near the bed of the river. It was a "Noah's Ark" picnic; and there was
to be the usual arrangement of quarter-mile intervals between each couple, on
account of the dust. Six couples came altogether, including chaperons.
Moonlight picnics are useful just at the very end of the season, before all
the girls go away to the Hills. They lead to understandings, and should be
encouraged by chaperones; especially those whose girls look sweetish in riding
habits.
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