All the men had risen to their feet, and they made a kind of semicircle
before her. The white-robed child had clasped its arms about her neck,
and nestled its face against hers, as if, with perfect satisfaction, it
had got to the end of its adventure; but the look of humour was still in
the eyes as they ran from Richard to his father and back again.
Frank Armour stepped forwards and took the child's hand, as it rested on
the mother's shoulder. Lali's face underwent a slight change as her
husband's fingers touched her neck.
"I must go," she said. "I hope I have not broken up a serious
conversation--or were you not so serious after all?" she said, glancing
archly at General Armour. "We were talking of women," said Lambert.
"The subject is wide," replied Lali, "and the speakers many. One would
think some wisdom might be got in such a case."
"Believe me, we were not trying to understand the subject," said Captain
Vidall; "the most that a mere man can do is to appreciate it.
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