"Oh!" I ejaculated, as my trembling fingers undid the string, "if this is another of Dost's letters!"

But it was not, and there was no scrap of writing inside the dirty piece of paper. Instead, there was another tiny packet, and something rolled in a scrap of paper.

I opened this first, and found a piece of steel about an inch and a half long, and after staring at it for a few moments, I thrust it into my pocket, and began to open the tiny packet which evidently contained some kind of seed.

"Not meant for me," I said to myself, sadly, as I opened the stiff paper, and—

I lay there staring at the fine black seed, and ended by moistening a finger, and taking up a grain to apply to my tongue.

The result was unmistakable. I needed no teaching there, for I had had a long education in such matters.

It was gunpowder, and I laughed at myself for thinking that it was a kind of seed, though seed it really might be called—of destruction.

"Yes; it's meant for some one else," I thought, as I carefully refolded the black grains in their envelope, and took out the piece of steel again, to turn it over in my hands, and notice that one end was fairly sharp, while the other was broken, and showed the peculiar crystalline surface of a silvery grey peculiar to good steel.

"Why, it's the point of a bayonet," I said to myself; and then I sat thinking, regularly puzzled at the care taken to wrap up that bit of steel and the powder.

"What does it mean?" I said, or does it mean anything? "Some children playing at keeping shop, perhaps," I said; "and when they were tired, they threw the packet in at the first window they saw. Just the things soldiers' children would get hold of to play with."

"But there are no children here," I said to myself, as I began to grow more excited, and the more so I grew, the less able I was to make out that which later on appeared to be simplicity itself.

"The point of a bayonet in one, and some grains of powder in another," I said to myself. "Oh, it must be the result of some children at play; they cannot possibly be meant for me;" and in disgust, I tossed the powder out of the window, and directly after, flung out the piece of steel with the result that, almost simultaneously, I heard what sounded like a grunt, and the jingling of the metal on the marble paving.

I ran to the window, and looked out from behind the hanging which I held before me, suspecting that I had inadvertently hit one of the bheesties. And so it proved, for I saw the man nearest to me stoop to pick up the piece of bayonet, and then nearly go down on his nose, for the water-skin shifted, and it was only by an effort that he recovered himself, and shook it back into its place on his loins.

Just then the other water-bearer came up to him, and said something in a low tone—I could not hear what, for he and his companion conversed almost in whispers, as if overawed by the sanctity of the place in which they stood. But it was all evident enough, as I could make out by their gestures: the second bheestie asked the first what was the matter, and this man told him that some one had taken aim with a piece of steel, which he passed on, and struck him on the back. The second man examined the piece, passed it back, and evidently said, "Some one is having a game with you," for he laughed, and they both looked up at the windows, as if to see who threw the piece.

Just then I saw a fierce-looking man come from the gateway, sword in hand; the two bheesties went on with their watering, and I heard him speaking angrily, and he gave force to his abuse by striking each man sharply with the flat of his sword. But the blows were harmless, for they fell on the water-skins, and, as soon as he had marched off, I saw the men look at each other and grin.

I drew back, and began to pace my room like a wild beast in a cage, for the idea had come strongly upon me that, after all, those packets were meant for me, and the more I told myself that it was folly, the stronger the conviction grew, and I found myself muttering, "Powder and bayonet— powder and bayonet—what can it mean?"

"Declaration of war," I said to myself at last; but I gave that idea up, for war had been declared long enough ago. No. It could not mean that. And yet it seemed as if it might be a symbolical message, such as these unseen people would send.

"A message—a message—a message," I muttered; and then the light came, or what I thought was the light, and I exclaimed joyfully, "Then it was meant for me!" Yes; a symbolical message, because whoever sent it was afraid to write lest it should fall into other hands.

I was so excited by my next thought that I threw myself face downward on my couch, and laid my head on my folded arms for fear my face should be seen. For I had just been interpreting the message to mean: bayonet— powder—fighting going on near, when I felt that no one but Dost could have sent that message, and its full meaning must be: bayonet, infantry; powder, artillery; and help must be at hand.

I heard Salaman come softly into the room, but I did not stir, and after a minute he passed out again, and I breathed more freely. I was afraid that he might read my thoughts, for I was in so great a state of excitement and exaltation that I imagined a score of impossible things, and it was with the greatest difficulty that I could contain myself sufficiently to look anything like calm, and keep my position on the bed.

For, after the first glance of light, the rest came quickly enough. I was right, I felt sure, about the troops coming, and the sender of the message must be Dost, who evidently would not trust himself to write again after the way in which his last letter had puzzled me. He it was, then, who had thrown the packet through the window, and consequently I felt that he must be somewhere about the palace, if he had not trusted his packet to some one else.

"No," I thought. "He would not do that. He must be near me in disguise. The old fakir is somewhere about;" and I went to the window to look round, for I could lie no longer.

But there was no sign of the old fakir in the courtyard, and my heart sank as I felt how impossible it would be for him to get there. The guards would never let him pass, and I was wondering more and more how he had managed to send me such hopeful news, when I suddenly caught sight of the men coming back heavily laden with their full skins to continue pouring cold water on the marble paving of the heated court, and I shrank away at once, so as to conceal my joy, for I knew now.

One of the bheesties must be Dost!



CHAPTER FORTY SIX.

I dared not go to the window now, for I knew I was right; and it was impossible for me to be aware of how much I might be watched, while a look might be sufficient, if exchanged between me and the bheestie, to draw suspicion to him, and cause his immediate death.

So I kept away, hoping that he would take the blow he had received, although accidentally given, as an answer to his communication.

But suppose the wrong man received the blow?

It did not matter, I thought. One told the other, and perhaps they were confederates.

That was enough. Help was at hand. I had but to wait; and it was evidently not some furtive kind of help—some attempt at an escape, but a bold attack to be made on the place, and the message was to put me on my guard.

I was in such a state of joyous excitement that I could hardly bear myself. I wanted to laugh aloud at Dost's cleverness. Only the other day playing the part of fakir, and completely deceiving me, when he stood reviling, and now so transformed that I might have passed the humble water-carrier a hundred times without having the slightest suspicion as to his being genuine.

"He is not a fighting man," I thought, "but quite as brave in his way; for nothing could be more daring than for him to march into the enemy's camp with his life in his hand like this."

Then I began to wonder how long it would be before an attack was made upon the town, and what Ny Deen would do. It would be a surprise—of that I felt sure; for the rajah was completely satisfied of his safety— at least, so he seemed, and ready to treat the British power as completely broken.

Then, feeling that I must be perfectly calm and self-contained, and being fully convinced that there might be an attack almost at any moment, I began to wonder whether I could find some place to hide, in case Ny Deen wanted to make me the sharer of his flight, for I had not the slightest doubt about the result of an engagement.

"Yes," I said; "I must be cool, and not seem bubbling over with delight." In fact, I felt just then so elated, partly by the news, partly by the returning health beginning to course through my veins, that I went straight to a mirror, to see if there was anything in my countenance likely to betray my state of mind, and, as soon as I reached it, I stood staring. Then I turned away, and went and sat down, thinking that mine was a very uncomfortable position; for, if any of our troops came rushing through the palace and saw me, looking in my present dress, exactly like some Hindu chief, my chances of escape would be very small.

"Why, they would bayonet me before I had time to explain; the fellows don't wait for explanations," I said dismally. And I walked at once into my sleeping-chamber, to see if the remains of my old uniform were by any chance left, though I was certain that they were not.

And then a feeling of anger rose against Ny Deen. "It is all his doing," I said. "He has been trying to make me look as much like a Hindu as possible. I wonder that he did not want me to stain my skin!"

"No need," I muttered, after a glance at the mirror. "I'm sunburnt enough to look like a Sikh." And a feeling of bitter resentment was growing against him now, stronger than I had felt before, knowing as I did that in spite of his kindness, and the friendly feeling he professed, he was moved by the strong motive of making me his most useful follower.

I had just arrived at this pitch, when Salaman came in quickly.

"My lord, his highness is here," he whispered, and then ran out I would have given anything not to have stood before him that day, but there was no help for it; and, forcing myself to look calm and unconcerned, I went into the principal room, just as the rajah entered by the farther doorway, very plainly dressed, and quite alone.

"Hah!" he exclaimed, with a friendly nod, "there is no need to ask. I can see. Better and better! So you shall have a change.—Well?"

He paused for me to speak, and I could not dissimulate.

"Oh, thank you," I said; "I do not want a change."

"The doctor says that you do, and I say that you do," he continued, smiling; but there was no mistaking his tone. "So you shall go out. We will go out together. You are a great hunter, I know."

"Oh no," I said hastily.

"Well, you are fond of hunting."

"I liked shooting," I said, as I thought of the end of my last expedition.

"I know you do," he continued, with a meaning smile. "There is a tiger at the village a little way toward the hills, and he has been taking the poor people's cows. Yesterday he struck down a woman, and carried her off into the forest. I have had him tracked by the shikaris, and ordered the elephants and beaters to be ready. You shall take me with you, Gil, and give me a lesson in shooting tiger."

"Then he has not a suspicion," I thought. And then I asked myself whether I should go or refuse.

"If I go," I thought, "I shall be serving Brace, for the attack may be made in our absence, and, without their leader, the troops will give way. But if I go with him, knowing what I do, I shall be acting treacherously to the man who saved my life."

It was a difficult point to decide, and I said hastily—

"I would rather not go."

"Why?" he asked, with a quick, suspicious look.

"Because I am not strong yet, and the sun is hot."

"It will give you strength," he said quietly. "You have stayed in till you are fretful, and dislike going out. As soon as we are started, you will be glad."

I felt that it was useless to oppose him, and said no more. In fact, I had no time, for he turned to me with a smile.

"I meant it quite as a surprise for you," he said; "and I have given all the men a rest from duty to-day, so that I am free. There, get your puggaree; the elephants are waiting, and the guns are in the howdahs."

I obeyed him with beating heart, and stood ready before him the next minute, wondering whether an attack would be made in our absence, and if there was, what Ny Deen would do. If he fled, I felt that he would take me with him, and that there would be another weary time before Dost could find me out.

"But no," I said; "he will not go. He will hurry back to lead his people. He has too much at stake to flee."

"Well," he said, "are you counting the tigers?"

I started back into the present, and followed him out through chamber after chamber, and along passages till we descended into a court something like the one upon which I looked down, but larger; and here I found three elephants, a strong party of horsemen, and two little bullock-waggons, in which were a couple of hunting leopards, each carefully chained, and with its attendant.

In spite of my excitement, I looked with some little curiosity on the two long-legged graceful-looking spotted creatures, each with a peculiar far-off look in its eyes, as if it were trying to pierce the walls and catch sight of the antelopes it was to chase.

Ny Deen saw my look, and smiled.

"The tiger may have gone," he said. "If he has, we'll hunt for the deer."

He pointed to his elephant, and signed to me to mount the great kneeling creature, which was fitted with quite a plain howdah, open, and suitable for the purpose in hand. As I took my place, I found that there were two double rifles on either side, and as soon as the rajah had mounted, a quick-looking beater climbed up behind us, to kneel behind our seats. The other elephants were made to kneel as we moved onward a few paces, and four of the rajah's followers climbed into the howdahs. Then the word was given, six horsemen rode to the gate as advance-guard, and we were following toward the entrance, when the rajah turned to me with a grave smile.

"You are better," he said reproachfully. "Come, we will not even think of military matters to-day, but make it all pleasure."

He had hardly finished the words when I saw him give a quick look and seize one of the guns, for the six horsemen had suddenly ridden back, to make for the rajah's elephant, followed by a mounted sowar, who passed between them as they opened out, and came close up to the side of the elephant.

"Well?" cried the rajah, fiercely, and speaking in Hindustani. "News?"

My heart gave a bound as the sowar announced the approach of the enemy, and I glanced at Ny Deen, in whose face I saw astonishment and disbelief for the moment. But it was only for the moment. Directly after, he gave several orders in a quick, decisive manner, and the officer to whom he spoke dashed off to obey his instructions.

Then he turned to me. "You heard?" he said.

I bowed.

"Will you help me—will you take charge of the guns at once?"

I looked full in the fierce, questioning face, and in those anxious moments I could not help feeling the danger of my position; but I had to speak. To refuse, now that he was driven to bay, might mean an order for immediate execution, and, cowardly or no, I could not speak. I suppose that I ought to have been brave, and exclaimed boldly, "Kill me, if you like; I will not fight against my countrymen." But I was very young; I had been badly wounded, and was just recovering and beginning to feel how beautiful, in spite of all my sufferings, life was, so I remained silent.

"You refuse, then?" he cried fiercely.

I was still silent, and he turned from me in a rage, making a fierce motion for me to descend from the elephant, which I obeyed, while Ny Deen gave a short, sharp order in an angry tone, whose result was that one of his men seized me on either side, and I was more a prisoner than ever, with six men in front and six behind, fresh summoned from the guard-house, to march me away.

It was to my death, so it seemed in those terrible moments; while I had but to raise my voice and give my promise to the rajah, to be at once his honoured and trusted friend, commissioned with great power.

But I could not say the necessary words, any more than I could speak a minute before, and in the silence of despair I walked as firmly as I could in the direction taken by the men, feeling giddy with excitement, and as if all this were not real, but part of some terrible trouble befallen another.

I did not see what was about to happen, and was so wrapped up in my position, that I did not hear the huge elephant from which I had just descended shuffling after me, till the rajah's voice called to my guard to halt. Then, leaning down from the howdah, he said to me—

"This is blind obstinacy. Come, say you will be my friend, and help me now that I want your services."

"I cannot," I said huskily.

Ny Deen uttered a fierce command to the mahout, the elephant swung round, and I set my teeth hard to keep from shouting to him to stop and take me with him. But I mastered my cowardly feeling, and marched on to what I felt was my execution, giving Ny Deen the credit of treating me as a soldier, though all the while it was in a curious, half-stupefied way, as if the shock had terrorised me, though after the first sensation of horror, I do not recall feeling any great amount of dread.

It was then with something approaching wonder that I saw the leading men of the guard wheel to the left through the entrance, and up the broad staircase, and along the passages, at the end of which were my rooms.

Here they drew back for me to enter, and the door was closed, the rattle of the men's muskets announcing that they remained on guard.

I felt so faint on being left alone that I was glad to fly to the great cool vessel of water always standing in one of the rooms, after which I sank down on one of the piles of cushions, and wiped the cold perspiration from my forehead.

I was still half-stunned, and wondering whether this was only a respite; but Hope soon began to be busy, and I felt that, after all, the being led off to instant death was the work of my own imagination, and that Ny Deen had probably never even had such a thought beyond holding it up as a threat.

As I recovered myself, I rose and walked to the farther door, where, there could be no doubt, the twelve men were stationed, and from thence I hurried to one of the open windows, and looked out to see that there was a guard still at the gateway, and beyond it I could hear a dull, hoarse murmur, and the heavy tramp, tramp of marching men, which was followed by the rush of a body of horse going by at a gallop.

This last revived me more than the water, for it sent a thrill through me, suggesting as it did preparations to meet our forces, which must be pretty close at hand, but whether in sufficient strength to attack this great town I would have given anything to know.

The beating of the horses' hoofs passed away, but the steady tramp of infantry went on for some time before it had died out, and the dull, distant roar as of many people in a crowd, did not cease. I fancied that it was on the increase, while below me in the court, the fountain played and sparkled in the sunshine, the great goldfish sailed about in the tank, and the green leaves trembled and glistened in the bright light. For whatever might be going on in the town, here everything was perfectly peaceful and still.

I was just wishing that I could have been at liberty to mount a horse, and, only as a spectator, go about the town and see what arrangements were being made for its defence, wondering whether it was strongly walled, my recollections on the night of our entry only extending to the great gate through which we had passed, and thinking that if the force advancing were only small, Ny Deen might decide to go out and attack it, when I saw a couple of dark figures in the gateway, which were not those of the guard, and directly after, bending low beneath the weight of their loads, my old friends, the two bheesties, walked slowly across to the other side of the court, where they separated as before, one going round by the far side of the tank, the other coming in my direction.

"It cannot be a very serious alarm," I thought, "or matters would not be going on so calmly here."

Then I stopped short to watch the actions of the nearest man, wondering whether my ideas were right, or it was only fancy.

"It can't be Dost," I said to myself, as the man diligently directed the thin tube of leather formed by the leg of the animal from which it had been stripped, sending the water round and round to form chains of circles on the marble paving.

"No. It can't be Dost," I thought, with the feeling of sadness of one who was suffering terribly from his solitary position. "It was all imagination."

But then I felt that it could not have been imagination about the message, for there were the forces approaching. Still, that heavy-looking man's sole aim in life seemed to be to make the rings of water on the pavement perfectly exact, and I was wondering at myself for being so ready to jump at conclusions as I watched him come slowly nearer and nearer, his back bent, his head and neck forward, and his shadow cast by the sun on the white pavement—exactly that of a laden camel.

On he came, nearer and nearer, but so well-drilled in his work that he seemed to see nothing but the pavement, which glistened in the bright sunshine, as he spread the water in ring after ring, splashing his brown feet and legs at every turn.

At last he was right beneath me without there appearing to be the most remote possibility of his being Dost; and in spite of the cleverness of his disguise as the fakir, I gave up my idea, when a voice in a whisper said—

"Be of good cheer, master; there is help coming."

"Dost!" I ejaculated aloud, and as the man started violently, I stepped back from the window, feeling sure that my voice would bring some one into the room.

I was quite right, for I had hardly left the window when the curtain was drawn aside, and Salaman entered.

"Yes. Quick; bring me something to eat."

He salaamed, and passed behind the curtain, while I followed, and saw him draw aside the purdah at the next doorway, the momentary glimpse I had showing me a group of armed men on guard, so that, if I had any doubts before, there was room for none now.

I went back and glanced through the window again, just in time to see the two bheesties join again, and slowly march out with their empty skins to fetch more water.

I was in the act of turning away wondering whether by any possibility Dost would be able to make his way to me when it was dark, and with my heart beating fast, hoping that he would have designed some way of escape, when my heart gave another bound, and I ran to the window to thrust out my head and listen, for unmistakably, although at some distance off, came the quick dull thud of a cannon.

"Hah!" I ejaculated, as I saw in my imagination the men serving the guns, and in my own mind making certain that it was one of Brace's six-pounders.

"How glorious!" I cried; "one of the pieces he carried off turned upon him now."

"My lord is glad there is fighting?" said a voice behind me; and I saw that Salaman had come quickly up behind, and he now pointed to where the meal I had asked for had been placed upon the matting.

I frowned, but made no answer, as I walked to the spot where the repast was spread, and I had hardly seated myself, with the two attendants who had brought in the food standing before me, when I heard another report, and then, slowly and steadily the whole of the guns were brought into action, keeping up a regular steady fire, one which told me that an advance was being made by infantry, which the firing was to cover.

I began to eat, trying to be perfectly calm, but at the first mouthful I broke down. It was impossible, and, jumping, up I went and sat down by the window, to listen to the firing, and try to picture to myself what was going on.

It was weary work. All imagination, and I knew it; but still I could not keep from picturing the scene, especially when the firing suddenly ceased. My cheeks grew flushed then, and I seemed to hear the order, see the men trot up with the limbers, the gunners hook on the trail of the gun-carriage, and then spring to their seats on horse or limber, and go off at a gallop.

"No," I muttered, "come on at a gallop," to take up a fresh position.

I could have sworn that the next minute I should hear them open again, and I seemed to see the swift horses going along at full speed to come to a sudden halt, the men spring down, unhook, and bring the guns into action again. But that minute passed, then another, and another—long, weary minutes—till quite ten must have gone by before I heard the familiar dull report again, and now, to my misery, I acknowledged to myself that it must be from fully a mile further away.

Four guns were fired, or two twice over, I could not, of course, tell which. Then the firing ceased, and a dull feeling of misery came over me, for it meant retiring. They must be driven back by the superior force of the rajah's army.

I turned away from the window with a feeling of depression that was terrible, and, try how I would, to keep from thinking, I kept on seeing the fierce-looking lancers of Ny Deen making furious charges at perhaps a mere skeleton of a regiment of foot, which grew gradually less and less, till the men scattered, and were ridden down.

Oh how vivid that all seemed, till I saw that which was real, and not imaginary. Salaman and the two attendants patiently watching me, as I began once more to walk up and down.



CHAPTER FORTY SEVEN.

I passed the whole of the day in misery, thirsting for news with a very great thirst, but none came. The servants about the palace evidently knew nothing though, if they had, they would not have dared to speak.

It was quite plain, from the noise, that the town was crowded, and in a state of excitement, but the sounds were at a distance, and they kept on. Had the noise gradually died out, I should have been hopeful, for I should have thought that they were leaving the place because the English were advancing. But though I sat at the window and strained my ears, there was no distant sound of firing, and I was getting into a very despairing mood, when my spirits revived again just before sunset, for all at once there was the sound of a gun; faint, distant, but unmistakably the report of a field-piece; and as I held my breath and listened, there was another and then another.

I knew the sound at once as coming from a troop of horse artillery, for the firing was regular; and I was so sanguine that I immediately set it down to Brace's troop.

"Oh, if I could only escape!" I thought; and my ideas went at once to the disguise and the hangings to be used as a rope. If I could only get down into the court, I trusted to my good fortune to find a way through some other window, and thence to an unwatched opening.

How to manage it? I was so conspicuous a figure in the uniform I wore that I felt that I dared not go like that, while to obtain the dress of one of the servants was impossible.

"I shall have to escape as I am," I thought, and I went down into the sleeping-room, and laid the sword ready. It was the magnificent tulwar the rajah had given me, and as I looked at the flashing jewels upon the hilt, I felt some compunction in taking it; but making up my mind to return it after I had escaped, feeling, as I did, the necessity for possessing a weapon, I laid it behind a purdah, where I could quickly catch it up.

The next thing was to select one of the silken curtains, which I could divide longwise, and tie the ends together. They would be quite enough to enable me to reach the ground; and there was a ring on one side of the window strong enough to bear my weight, I felt.

It was nearly dark by the time I had made those plans, which were interrupted by pauses, to listen to the distant firing away toward where the sun set. That was to be my direction, if I could get out of the town, and I was calculating my chances of escape when a happy thought struck me—to drape myself in a light curtain, and loosen the pugaree about my helmet.

But the next minute I felt that there was no need, for my uniform would be sufficient to command respect among the rajah's troops, if I backed it up with plenty of coolness and decision. The people, as a rule, knew that I was the rajah's friend, and expected that I should take some command. They could not all know, I argued, that I had refused to turn renegade; and gathering confidence now, as the darkness increased, I felt that if once I could get out of the palace, all I had to do was to be haughty and overbearing with the people; to assume for the time the position the rajah had offered, and trust to my confidence to carry all before me.

I had reached this point, and was still listening to the firing, when it occurred to me that I had better try and throw Salaman off his guard.

To do this I went into the room where I partook of my meals, and summoned him.

He entered so quickly that I knew he must have been close to the curtain, and I looked at him curiously to try and make out whether his face displayed any alarm or anxiety respecting the advance of the English force, but he looked perfectly calm.

"Bring a light, and some more fruit," I said; and as soon as I had spoken I thought of how foolish my last request was, for I was not in the habit of eating much fruit.

He bowed, and was leaving, when I stopped him.

"Is there any news of the fight going on?" I said, as carelessly as I could.

"Yes, my lord; messengers have come in. His highness is driving the English sahibs right away into the far country."

I should have liked to say I did not believe it, but I could not, for the gradual dying away of the firing agreed with his words. Then, as I said no more, he left the room, to return directly with a lamp, and some fruit was borne in by one of the attendants.

I waited till they had gone, and then slowly went to the curtain-covered opening, and looked through to see that Salaman was sitting down talking to the officer of the guard; and satisfied that now was my time, I walked quickly back and secured the curtain which I bore into my sleeping-room, where it was all dark, having determined to descend from there if I could find a place to secure the end of the curtain-rope.

But previous to twisting it up, I cautiously looked out of the window, and drew back in despair; for there, just beneath me, were the men of the guard slowly pacing the place, each bearing a lanthorn, as if to take special care that I did not escape that way, and I saw at a glance that, even if I could descend the rope, it would be impossible to cross the court, and in my despair I seated myself upon my couch to think.

This way was impossible. It was just as impossible to try and get out by the door, for it was strongly guarded.

"There is only one way," I said to myself, angrily. "I must get the dress of one of the men. But how?"

I could see no way, for I had no money to offer a bribe, and the possibility of escaping grew more and more hopeless.

"It is of no use to try," I said, half aloud. "I may just as well accept my fate. Ny Deen will never let me go."

But the idea of giving way irritated me to such an extent, and was so bitterly contemptible that I leaped up, seized and buckled on the sword, and for the minute had some wild idea of getting down into the court, and cutting my way through the guards.

I could take them by surprise, I thought; but the next minute I was forced to grant the fact that directly after they would recover and take me by surprise in a way that might quite put an end to further ventures on my part. As soon as I had reached this point of reasoning, I went once more to the window, and looked down to see if the guards were still there.

I had full evidence directly, for there they all were, and as fully on the alert as men would be who knew that their heads would answer for a prisoner's escape.

"I must wait my opportunity," I said bitterly, as I turned away, after seeing one of the guards go by beneath my window, when there was a faint, rustling noise, which made me turn in time to see something dark at the window, whose feet rested for a moment lightly on the window-sill before it sprang into the room, and darted behind one of the curtains.

I was so much startled that I half-drew my sword as I gazed at the curtain, which was barely visible, the only light being that which came from the lamps in the next room, and a trifle from the window as the lanthorns, carried by the guard in the court, moved here and there.

"No, no, sahib," came in a faint whisper, which relieved me, for at that moment I had been ready to fancy it was some curious wild beast.

"Dost!" I whispered back, as I crept softly to the curtain.

"Yes, sahib. But look! Did the men see me come in?"

I peered out of the window, and saw that the guard were marching slowly to and fro, with their lanthorns swinging.

"No; they have seen nothing," I whispered; and then I passed through into the next room, crossed it, and made sure that Salaman was not coming.

"It is all safe," I said, as I returned. "How did you manage to get up?"

"It was impossible, sahib," he said, hardly above his breath. "I could not get near for the guard."

"Then how did you manage?" I said.

"I came over the roof, sahib, and let myself down by a cord."

"Then we can escape that way," I whispered.

"Is the sahib strong enough to climb the rope?"

A pang of misery shot through me as I involuntarily applied my right hand to my wounded arm.

"No," I said.

"Then I must pull the sahib up," said Dost, calmly. "We ought to go soon."

"Pst!" I whispered, and I stepped to the window, leaned out, and seemed to be studying the sounds outside, for there was the faint rustle of a curtain, and a light step crossing the next room.

Directly after I heard Salaman's voice.

"Did my lord call?"

"Eh? Call? No," I said, coming from the window, and trying to command my voice, as I walked toward where he stood in the open doorway. "I can't hear any firing now."

"No, my lord; the battle must be over, and at any time his highness will be back."

I made some remark, but what it was I cannot tell now, and went on into the lighted room, noticing that he glanced suspiciously at my sword, but I appeared not to notice it, and went to the window of that room, while Salaman went back.

"He has had strict orders to keep on watching me," I said to myself; and I had hardly thought this, than, to my horror, I heard the regular tramp of feet, and the officer and four men marched into the next room, where I heard them moving about.

I was going to rush into the sleeping-room to warn Dost, when Salaman appeared.

"My lord will not be angry with his servant," he said. "It is his highness's commands that you should be watched carefully, and they are searching the rooms."

"Searching the rooms?" I said aloud.

"Yes, my lord. I am not to blame."

Just then the officer entered bearing a lanthorn, and his four men came behind.

He bowed to me respectfully, and then made a sign to his followers, who carefully searched the room—a simple task, for all that was needed was to look behind the hangings.

My heart felt in my mouth, as people say, for the officer led the way now to my bed and the bath-room, where poor Dost was certain to be discovered if he had not succeeded in making his escape.

Salaman followed the guard, and I sat listening for the first cry of excitement, but none arose, and I breathed freely as the officer came back, lanthorn in hand, followed by his men, to salaam to me again, and pass out to his station by the far door while Salaman hung back. "My lord has offended his highness, who is angry. That is why the search is made."

I did not answer—I could not; and the man bowed and went out, while I stepped quickly to the window of the bedroom, at which Dost appeared directly after—a dark shadowy figure, and leaped down.

"We must go at once, sahib," he whispered. "It is so dark up here that the guard in the court can see nothing. I shall go up on to the roof, and lower the rope. The sahib will make it quite fast round beneath his arms, and then tug once, and step on to the window-sill. He will then trust to me, and I shall draw him up."

"But can you, Dost?" I said nervously.

"The sahib may believe me. I am very strong."

As he spoke, he placed his hands on my waist, and lifted me up with the greatest ease, setting me down again lightly.

"Now, sahib; ready?"

I could just dimly see him step to the window, and I felt that he must have seized a rope, up which he passed with the activity of a monkey, and I saw plainly enough now why he had not been discovered. The next minute, after a faint grating noise, I felt the rope swinging backward and forward. I caught it, and secured it firmly about my waist, climbed on to the window-sill, jerked the rope, and felt it tighten slowly, then more and more, till it lifted me from where I stood, and I felt myself gliding slowly upward, my heart beating violently the while, for I was utterly helpless, and as I was not exerting myself, I suffered the more mentally, wondering whether the rope would hold—whether Dost would have strength enough to haul me right up—whether the guards pacing the court would hear us, and look up and see us by the light of their lanthorns, and give the alarm—whether Salaman would enter the room and miss me.

These thoughts rushed like lightning through my brain as I felt the jerk, jerk of the rope, and gazed skyward. I suppose I must have been about half-way to the roof when I heard a faint click and shivered.

My scabbard had struck against the wall, and I looked wildly down at the guards, but to my great surprise they had not heard it, and were continuing their walk.

Dost paused for a few moments as he heard the sound, and I did not stir, but hung close to the wall, with my heart beating painfully, before I dared to seize the scabbard with one hand and hold on.

Then the jerking motion was begun again, and once more I suffered a kind of martyrdom as I fully expected to find that the rope would slacken, and that I should be precipitated on to the marble flags of the court.

Oh, how long it seemed. For it was a minute of gold drawn out into a wire of what seemed to be endless length.

Then I was at the top, and passed my right hand over to seize the parapet, while Dost's hands were busy about my chest, and the next thing I remember is being dragged down on to the flat, Eastern roof, where I lay panting with Dost lying by my side, but with his eyes level with the parapet, as he listened for tokens of alarm.

There was not a sound, and satisfied that all was right so far, Dost whispered to me to sit up, when he rapidly twisted the rope round my breast, and turned in one end, while I looked about me, to try and make out the kind of place we were on. But it was too dark to see much, and I waited for my companion's next order, contenting myself to leave everything in his hands.

"Now, sahib," he whispered, with his lips to my ear, "take my hand, keep in a stooping attitude, and walk with me."

I should have liked to ask, "What are you going to do?" but he was commanding-officer for the moment, and all I had to do was to obey.

I rose, and, bending down as I grasped his hand, walked softly to where we reached the end of that side of the court—the roof seeming perfectly flat—and then we turned off at right angles and walked along till we had reached the end of the building which formed another side. Here the process was repeated till we were about opposite to the spot where I had been drawn up.

Here Dost stopped.

"We must get down here!" he whispered.

"Into the court?"

"No; down into the gardens," he said. "The next side would be best, but there is a guard in the gateway, and sentries walking up and down."

"Are there sentries in the gardens?" I whispered.

"I think so. We'll look."

Crossing softly to the side of the palace furthest from the court, we peered cautiously down into what looked intensely black, but dotted with points of soft light which I knew at once to be lanthorns carried by guards.

"Can we get across?" I whispered.

"We must, sahib. There is no other way. There are plenty of bushes to hide us. What's that?"

I listened, and from a little distance off I could hear the trampling of horses, which suddenly ceased, apparently somewhere on the other side of the court.

"Cavalry," I whispered, and then listened as Dost went on.

"I shall lower you down here first," he whispered, "for I think there is a place to which I can hook on the rope, and draw it down afterward. Yes; here it is. I found it to-night."

He had been on his knees feeling about, and, evidently satisfied, began to unwind the rope from my chest.

"Did you make the end quite fast?" he whispered, just as I was wondering how he had found the window from up here on the roof.

"Yes."

"Don't stop to untie it," he said, "but slip it over your arms and head as soon as you are down. No; it is long enough; hold it fast till I join you. I'll pass it round this post and slide down the other end."

"What's that?" I whispered, as a shout arose; and involuntarily we both crossed the roof again to look.

But we did not look down into the court, but across the fountain in the centre to where lights shone brightly from three windows opposite, while at one of them, open, I could see two figures, one of which held up a shaded lamp above his head, while the other, who I could plainly see was the rajah, without his voice endorsing the fact, roared forth his commands to the guards in the court and at the gate—orders which were followed by hurrying feet, and shouts could be heard, answered in all directions.

"Rajah—come back—too soon," said Dost, hurriedly. "Quick, sahib."

"But they will be all on the watch."

"So shall we be, sahib," he whispered eagerly, as he pressed me toward the outer parapet close by the low stone projection. "Quick! Go down."

I was obliged to let him help me over the parapet, so as to get my arm clear, and then, with the lamps moving about in all directions, and every now and then meeting and gliding away again, Dost began to lower me rapidly.

To my horror, when I was some distance down, I could see two lanthorns approaching, as if their bearers had seen me, and were coming to meet exactly where I should touch the ground. Dost could not see them, evidently, and to call to him meant betraying us both, so I gave myself up for lost. But all at once the rope stopped, and I hung there motionless, just as a door about ten feet below me opened, and some one came out.

It was to meet the two lamp-bearers coming in different directions, and directly after the man from the doorway had stopped, they came up to him.

"Keep a strict look-out," the man said. "A prisoner is trying to escape. He must be found."

The men briefly said that they would watch, and that no one had been in the grounds; after which they went off, leaving me breathless, as I hung there, listening for the departure of the first man, who seemed to be watching me.

So silent was everything that I felt that he must be just beneath me, and my fingers crisped up, ready to seize my sword. But the moments glided by, and he still did not move, my suspense, in both senses of the word, being brought to an end by Dost lowering me down quickly.

By the time I reached the ground, I had drawn my sword, ready to resist attack; but, to my utter surprise, I found that the door was closed, the man having retired so silently that I had not heard a sound.

The moment I had convinced myself that I had no attack to fear, I lay down, turning myself into a counterpoise as Dost threw down the other end of his rope, and began rapidly to descend.

As I felt the rope give jerk after jerk, I listened to the sounds within the palace. Men being apparently running in all directions, as if searching for me; and Dost muttered something to the same effect, as he dropped lightly by my side, after I had been wondering whether the rustling noise he made in his descent would be heard.

The noise he made, though, was greater as he drew the rope round the projection which held it above, and I caught his wrist in horror as we stood there in the darkness, he pulling and I twisting the rope round and round my chest.

"Don't," I whispered; "some one will hear."

"But we must have the rope, sahib, to get down from the top of the wall," he said; and he pulled away at the line more quickly, the end falling directly after with a sharp crushing sound among the bushes. This had evidently been heard, for a lanthorn rapidly approached us out of the darkness, and as we crouched down, the face of a man could be seen at last, with the eyes flashing as he held up his light.

But, as is the case on a dark night, the man who bears a light is far easier to see than the one who watches or hides, and I crouched there, wondering at last, as the man held up his lanthorn nearly over me, why it was that he could not detect my presence.

But he did not, and after looking carefully round, he turned and walked away, just where, had he taken a couple or so steps nearer to the palace, he would have come in contact with one of us.

"Saved!" I breathed to myself, as he walked away, and his light disappeared among the trees.

"The rope, sahib," whispered Dost; and I rapidly drew it up and twisted it round me.

"Now your hand," he said; and as I gave it to him, he led me cautiously in and out among the trees, avoiding the men easily enough, for their lanthorns showed exactly the direction in which they were going, though, had a few been about without lights, we must have been taken! It was slow work, and, as we crept along, the moving lights behind the windows and the shouts and commands that came made me aware that a careful search was being made for me, and, moment by moment, our chance of escape appeared more hopeless.

But Dost did not seem to be in the slightest degree troubled. He kept on right through the grounds toward where lights flitted about in the window of a building, and he whispered—

"They are searching it, sahib. When they have done, we will go there."

I felt hopeless, but kept on close to his side, thinking all the time that we must be taken before long.

Just now the capture was imminent, for men approached us, but in every case something took off their attention, and we reached the great building, to find it now all dark, as if the search there was at an end, and the place deserted.

Dost uttered a low grunt of satisfaction, and crept softly along beneath the windows; but we came upon no door, only reaching a blank stone wall at the end of the building, and having to retrace our steps to where we started, and then go in the other direction.

Here we were more fortunate, coming upon a door, and entering the building, which was evidently a kind of summer-house, but of a very substantial character.

It was perfectly empty, but lights flashed in through the windows on the opposite side to that by which we had entered, and as we went cautiously forward, it was to see scores of armed men with torches, their task evidently being, as shown by their actions, to seek me out.

I say me, because I felt that they must be in profound ignorance of the existence of Dost.

The light which shone in was enough to show his anxious, eager face, and as his eyes met mine, he gave his head a nod in the direction of the window.

"Not that way," he said, with a little laugh; "this."

We hunted about some moments, with the cries of the men outside sounding wonderfully close to my ears, and then found the way to the upper floor, which, though well-furnished, was utterly deserted.

Here we made at once for the end, to find a way on to the roof, but it was at the other end, and proved to be, as we reached it, exactly like that of the palace—flat, and with a parapet all round.

Dost signed to me to stoop, for I was a striking object with my bright uniform, and the reflection from the lanthorns and torches down below was sufficient to make us visible to each other.

Bending low, we approached the side whence the light came, and, taking off my helmet, I cautiously peered down, to see the great court beneath crowded with soldiers, all standing to their arms, as if expecting instant orders to join in the search.

"No go down there, sahib," said Dost, softly.

I shook my head, and followed him to the end, where a stronger light shone up, and on looking down there, we found that the officers were collected, as if waiting for orders.

Dost shook his head again, and walked back along the roof, with the grounds on our left, the well-filled square on the right, and the dark end of the large summer-house before us.

There everything was black, and we had no need for caution in looking over.

I could not help shuddering as I drew back my head, on hearing a loud slapping noise below me, and a peculiar whishing, rushing sound.

"No," said Dost. "No boat. Muggers. Can't go that way."

For the swift river was gliding by just beneath the walls of the summer-house; whose windows looked down upon what by day would be doubtless a lovely scene, but which now was gloomy and repulsive in the extreme.

"What shall we do, then?" I asked.

"Wait," said Dost, quietly, and he unwound the rope from me, and carefully made it into a coil, which he passed over his left arm.

"Wouldn't it be better to stop till later? They will not search this place again."

"I don't know, sahib. They may come up here, and there is nowhere to hide."

"Shall we go back into the garden, and try some other way."

"There is no other way," he replied. "The river shuts off all one side, sahib, and the other is full of Ny Deen's soldiers."

"Tell me," I whispered. "What about the fighting? Our people were not beaten?"

"I don't know, sahib. I can't understand. The rajah drove all before him, and they retreated far away."

That was piteous news, and I drew a long breath as I felt how hopeless my condition was growing. It had seemed so easy to escape when once I was out of the palace, but on putting it to the test, the difficulties had increased with every step.

"Let's look down into that great court again, Dost," I said softly. "There may be a part that is not watched."

We looked over, and Dost drew back shaking his head.

"No, sahib," he said; "we have done that twice. Once I hung down over the guards' heads. We must not try again. It might mean death."

He was quite right, and I remained silent for a few moments. He spoke at last.

"If we could only get among the houses, sahib," he said, "and walked quietly—you like that, I like this. No one would speak to us. Come, we must try the garden again."

It seemed to be the only way, and I followed him down from the roof to the first floor, and then down to the bottom, where our position was very precarious, for the men outside had only to reach up to the windows, raise their torches, and gaze in to see us in one or other of the great rooms.

But as they had thoroughly searched the place, this was not done, and we reached the door in safety, and stood looking out into the extensive grounds, with their walks, great trees, and clumps of shrubs.

The place seemed to be just the same as before; intensely dark, surrounded as it was by high buildings, and the moving lanthorns looked in the distance like sparks in tinder, gliding here and there.

"Where shall we make for, Dost?" I said.

"The big house in the corner, sahib," he whispered back. "It is close to the river; but we may be able to get through there, and into a part not watched. If we cannot get away then, we must wait till morning."

I could do nothing but obey, and following him closely, we began our dangerous walk through the great gardens, always on the point of being seen by one of the guards; but, thanks to the darkness, and the effect the lights had on the men's own eyes, escaping, though often enough it was by the merest chance.

We had passed about half-way toward the building at the right-hand corner, its lights in the windows acting as our guide, and were crouching down among some bushes while a couple of the guards went by, when, all at once, there was a light flashed up from behind us, one which grew brighter every moment, and, looking back, we made out that the men we had seen were coming into the grounds through the great summer-house, and were spreading across, evidently to thoroughly search the grounds again.

Dost uttered a low murmur of dismay, as, by the distribution of the lights, he saw that there was to be a regular hunt of the gardens, after the fashion of beating up a tiger.

"Come, quick!" he whispered. "The rajah must be there."

He snatched my hand, and led me on toward the far end of the garden, but only to stop short, for, to my horror, I saw a door open, a blaze of light flash out, and a body of men bearing torches troop down some steps and spread across that end where they were quickly marshalled by some one in authority, and began to advance toward us.

Our position was hopeless, for now the two lines of men advancing from either end were making the place as light as day, and gradually narrowing the ground in which we could be free. It was only a matter of minutes before we should be caught between them.

Dost pressed my hand hard as he looked wildly about him.

"No trees, sahib, no trees to climb," he whispered. "I did try so hard to save you, but I have failed. Good-bye, sahib. I was thy faithful servant. Good-bye!"

"Why do you say that?" I said huskily.

"Why?" He uttered a little laugh, and passed his hands about his neck. "They will make short work of me."

"No," I said; "you are my servant, and no one shall harm you. I will appeal to the rajah myself."

I drew my sword, and thrust my injured arm through poor Dost's, meaning to defend him; but before I could even think of what I should do next, there was a sharp rustle, a rush, and half a dozen of the original searchers, with their lanthorns, urged by their position to make a capture before the two lines of men came up and shut us in, pounced upon us, drawn there by our voices, and then in the midst of a scuffle, I saw two men go down while I was pinioned from behind. Then my captors shouted for lanthorns, there was the heavy beat of feet, and in a blaze of light, I saw Ny Deen advance, and stand before me smiling in his triumph, but making me shrink with anger and mortification, for there was a good deal of contempt in his look, as he signed to me to approach, and to the man who held me to remove my sword.



CHAPTER FORTY EIGHT.

As soon as I could drag my eyes from Ny Deen's mocking gaze, I looked round sharply for Dost, and a chill ran through me as I failed to see him. For the moment I hesitated to speak, in the hope that he might have escaped, and inquiries might only lead to his pursuit; but it was such a forlorn hope that I gave it up at once, and turned to speak to the rajah.

"Where is my servant?" I said. "Salaman?" he replied. "No, no; my old servant, Dost."

"The man who was with you just now?"

"Yes," I cried.

"I do not know," replied Ny Deen. "I suppose killed, as the result of his rashness."

I gave him a glance full of horror, and then looked round at the crowd of armed men so fiercely, that the rajah spoke.

"Where is the man," he said. There was a dead silence, which I interpreted to mean that he had been killed.

The rajah took a step or two forward, glaring round so savagely that one of the men who had seized us prostrated himself.

"You have killed him?" said Ny Deen, in a low guttural voice, which made me shiver.

"My lord, no. The man was seized, and in the fight he fell, and we thought him dead, for he was bleeding. Then we held the English lord here, and when we went to pick up the man, he was gone."

"Then he has escaped?"

The man remained silent, and Ny Deen turned to me with his eyes full of mockery and a strange light, as they flashed in the glare of the torches.

"Well," he said, "are you satisfied?"

"Yes," I replied, "if it is true."

"It is true enough," he said carelessly. "Come."

He signed to me to approach his side, and to my surprise, instead of my being led off as a prisoner, the rajah laid his hand upon my shoulder, and walked by me as if nothing had happened, right back to my room, when he threw himself upon the cushions and laughed.

"You foolish boy!" he said good-humouredly; "how could you be so weak as to commit such a folly. I am angry with you, not for offending me, for I suppose it was natural, but for lowering yourself so before my people, forcing me to have you—the man I meant to be my chief officer—hunted like an escaping prisoner. You might have been killed in your mad climbing, or by my people by accident in a struggle. That man came and tempted you to go?"

"I wanted no tempting," I replied.

"It is a pity," he said, after a moment's pause. "You degraded yourself, and you lowered me before my people."

"I want my liberty," I cried angrily.

"Well, boy, I offer you liberty," he said quietly; "liberty and honour. I only stand in your way when I see that, in a blind madness, you are going to rush headlong to destruction. You do not know; I do."

I was silent.

"Where would you have gone to-night," he said, "supposing that you had not fallen and killed yourself, or been cut down by my guards?"

"To my friends."

"You have no friends," he said sternly. "You would have escaped, perhaps, to the wild country or the forest to starve, or to be killed by the wild beasts. No one would give you food, and you would scarcely have found one who would not have sought to slay you as an enemy. You say you would, have fled to your friends. Where are they?"

"You should know best," I said sullenly. "You have been fighting with them."

"Yes," he cried, with his eyes flashing. "I have been fighting with enemies of my country. I have nothing to hide from you. I will tell you all, so that you may know, and see how mad it is for you to fight against the decrees of fate. Yes, I fought with those you call your friends to-day, and drove them before me till after sundown. My men are following them now to complete the pursuit, scattering them like dead leaves before the blast which heralds the monsoon. You heard the firing?"

"Yes," I said sadly.

"And know that it grew more distant as they were beaten off, till they turned and fled. I came back then. I cannot fight with flying foes. It was a mad attempt, a last desperate struggle, just a little flashing up of an expiring fire. By now it is dead, and you will hear of them no more."

We both sprang to our feet, for, as he spoke, there was a crashing volley not far away—a volley such as would be fired only by well-drilled troops—and directly after there was another, followed by a scattered firing, and shouts rising up to a perfect roar.

Ny Deen, who looked astounded, made for the door, and in my excitement I followed him; but he thrust me back, and turned to the guard standing beyond the hangings.

"Your lives for his!" he thundered to them. "He does not leave this place."

The curtain was thrown between us, and I ran to the open window, to find the court full of troops hurrying here and there, while lights were flashing, and in the midst of the excitement the rattle of distant musketry was on the increase.

"Crushed—scattered—where are my friends?" I said aloud. "Why, they are here. It is an attack upon the town!"

I felt a little doubt as soon as I had uttered these words; but the longer I listened the more convinced I felt that this must be a surprise, and by degrees matters took their shape in my mind, thus accounting for the apparent ease with which the rajah had scattered his enemies.

"It has all been a ruse—a piece of strategy," I thought. "They have retreated, and drawn Ny Deen's men right away, so as to weaken him, and now they have got back first, or this is another force."

As I stood at that window, I, for the moment, thought of throwing myself down, but the attempt would have been madness, for the moon was now up nearly full, and helping the torches to flood the place with light which flashed from the tank, and made the fountain resemble molten silver.

I gave up the thought at once, for I could see a strong guard were watching my windows, and that I was carefully observed as I sat down and listened to the increasing roar away to my right, where the shouting, cheering, and yelling were mingled strangely with the bursts of firing which grew nearer.

I seemed to see the fight going on, and grew more excited moment by moment, as I knew by the sounds exactly how matters progressed. For, as I judged, a body of infantry was fighting its way along a street, and every now and then a sharp volley was heard, followed by a tremendous cheer, which suggested to me that the men fired, and then made a rush forward, driving their enemies back; and then after a short space another volley was fired, followed by a fresh rush, and so on, the fusillade sounding each time nearer.

"They are carrying everything before them," I thought; for though there was plenty of firing in return, it was scattered and desultory, and, even if I could see nothing, I was perfectly sure that the defenders of the town were giving way, though perhaps only to make a more desperate stand as they were driven together.

Then all at once my heart leaped, for there was the sound of a gun to my left, in the direction where I believed the great gate stood through which we had entered the town that night.

Then another heavy thud came, and another as the guns were brought into action, and their point must be, I felt sure, to batter down the gate, to admit a fresh attacking force, whose duty would be to take the defenders in the rear.

The effect on the guards in the court was startling. Several ran to the gateway to question the sentry there eagerly, and then return to their companions.

Then came the rattle of musketry from the left, evidently in answer to the firing of the heavy guns which were battering the gates; but it had no effect, for the pieces were being served with the greatest regularity, and I listened eagerly, wondering whether it could be Brace's troop, and how soon they would open a way for the infantry which I felt sure would be in support.

At last I went away from the window, and began to walk excitedly about the room, but only to rush back again, as I heard a fresh volley of musketry in the distance, and on looking out saw a dull glow out over the walls of the palace, a light which grew brighter, and, as it increased, I knew that attackers or defenders had fired some house, the beginning of a work whose end it was impossible to foretell.

I shuddered slightly, for I was a prisoner.

"Suppose," I thought, "this place should catch, and I found myself hemmed in!"

I looked down at the depth below, and my eyes once more sought the hangings, as I recalled how I had thought of contriving a rope.

The fire was increasing fast, the dull glow becoming each minute more vivid, till, when I reached out of the window, I could see orange-tinted clouds rolling up from the direction of the volley firing, whilst the shouting was certainly coming nearer.

I felt as if it was impossible to bear this confinement longer, and it was only by forcing myself to dwell upon the varying fortunes of the fight that I was able to contain myself. There, on the one hand, was the attack upon the gate; there, on the other, the advance of the troops through the town, to which they must have obtained entrance by a surprise. And now I longed to be where I could see the varying fortunes of the fight, which at times I thought must be going in another direction.

That was only a passing thought, for all at once the firing of the artillery ceased; so did that of the musketry opposed to it, and I listened breathlessly, wondering what was the cause.

Had they failed to batter down the gate? and had they limbered up and retired?

No; for, as the thought came, there was a sudden crash of musketry, volley after volley, and the incessant scattered firing of the defenders. Then, as I listened, a faint sound of cheering, increasing in loudness, reached my ears, and directly after I felt certain that the gate had been taken.

A minute later there was no doubt about it, for I could hear the fighting right and left, and to my great joy, I knew that it must be going against the rajah's men, who were retiring, and I soon found that the palace was the place for which they were making.

First of all, there was a great deal of excitement in the court. Then a sowar came riding in to give orders to the officer in command, and while it was being executed, a gallantly-dressed chief dashed in, shouted some fresh orders, and directly after, quite in confusion, a regiment of sepoys doubled in through the gateway, and were then hurried in at an open doorway, opposite to where I stood watching.

They had hardly disappeared before another regiment in better order marched in; and they too passed in through the same door, my doubts as to their object being soon at an end, for I heard them doubling along the roof, evidently manning it as a rampart; while, from a glimpse I caught through an open window, it was evident that the floor on a level with mine was also occupied by troops who were stationed at windows looking out upon the road.

Another regiment, and directly after quite a mob of armed men came hurrying through the gateway to occupy every room and window looking outwards, while a strong force partially filled the court, the numbers being rapidly increased as the firing and cheering came nearer.

It was all plain enough now; the rajah's troops were being driven back, and were ordered to make a stand here at the palace, which lent itself well for the purpose, one side being protected by the river, while, as far as I knew, the entrance was only through the gateway, which could easily be blocked and held.

"Till Brace came with the guns," I thought.

I had wished to see something of the fight; now I regretted my desire, for I foresaw that there was going to be a desperate struggle. The light of the fire was rapidly increasing, and a very short time had elapsed before there was a sudden rush, and a disorderly mob of fighting men came tearing through the gateway, wild, excited, torn, and yelling furiously.

Then, as another volley was fired, I knew that the rajah's men had been driven in, for a tremendous fire was opened from the roof away to my right, and I could see the smoke rising in a dense cloud.

As this firing was kept up, the court gradually grew more packed. I could see mounted men come in, and before long I was able to make out the rajah, as he seemed to be giving orders, which resulted in a body of men rushing into the palace and returning bearing loads, which they piled up within the gateway, forming a breastwork, from behind which the men kept up a furious fire.

Outside, the replies had quite ceased, and I found what it meant; the infantry were under cover, and the guns had been ordered up to batter in the gateway, and send its defenders flying before a rush was made.

As I gazed down at the dense crowd of fighting men in the court, I shuddered, for, driven to bay as the sepoys were, and with no means of escape when the attack was made, the carnage would be frightful, and all the worse from the fact that the men would rush in and occupy the windows that looked upon the court from whence a sustained fire could be kept up on our men, one which would be frightful.

All at once it struck me that perhaps now the doors of my apartments would be unguarded, and I ran to look; but, on drawing aside the hangings, there sat Salaman and four attendants, while behind them were at least twenty well-armed men.

I went back, feeling that, whatever happened, these men would be faithful to their duty, though how I was to have got out of the palace and past the crowd of soldiers at every window and door, I had not stopped to think.

I again returned to the window from which I had watched before, and stood gazing out at the crowded court where the men had now been reduced to something more like military order, and it was a wonderful sight to see the swarthy faces with their gleaming eyes, and the flashing weapons the men carried. The moon poured down its silver light to mingle strangely with the glare of the torches many of the men bore; while away to my right the burning houses sent a glow of orange so strong that the broad end of the court opposite to me gleamed as if the fire was there as well.

It was a terrible pause that, and I knew that before long the attack would come, when the place would either be carried at once or its defenders starved into submission; for, though there was water in abundance, I did not believe there could be food to provide for a garrison.

I was thinking all this when a voice behind me made me start, and face round to the speaker.

"It is long hours since my lord has eaten," said Salaman. "Shall I bring in some food?"

"Who can eat at a time like this?" I cried; and I signed to him to go, turning back directly after, for I could hear a peculiar rattling sound in the distance which I knew well enough.

It was what I had anticipated; they were bringing up the guns.

Almost at that moment the firing from the roof recommenced, and was answered from different directions; but it ceased as quickly as it had begun, for all at once there was the dull echoing thud of a six-pounder, and a rush of men from the barricade in the gateway, through which a round shot plunged, striking the edge of the stonework arch, sending down a shower of fragments, in the midst of whose falling the shot struck the wall of the palace on my left, shivering the stonework there.

No one attempted to man the barricades again, the task was too perilous, for gun after gun sent its iron messenger ploughing through the archway.

As I stood there midway between the gateway and the wall on my left, at right angles to my window, I did not stir, for I knew that though the balls came by within ten feet from where I stood, none was likely to injure me. There was a kind of fascination in listening to the heavy report, and then instantly for the whistling of the ball as, after demolishing a portion of the barricade, it struck the wall with a heavy crash, and sent the splinters of stone flying.

Opposite to me were the soldiers, densely packed, forming one side of the lane, down which the balls came plunging. Now and then one was deflected by the part of the barricade it struck, and it flew higher against the wall, or lower so as to touch the paving, and then ricochet; but the work was being thoroughly well done; and as I saw the great gaps made, and the clearance in the gateway, I knew the final attack must come before long.

It was much sooner than I expected, for the firing from the roof suddenly blazed out furiously, and it was as if shots were being poured from every window, as a fierce roar literally followed the next shot—a roar of men's voices, and beating feet, and my heart seemed for a moment to stand still, but then began to bound as I leaned out to watch the struggle, from which I could not have torn myself even to save my life.

I could see nothing outside, only hear the coming of men, whose cheering was mingled with many a shriek and groan, as poor fellows dropped under the terrible fire poured down upon them. Then I saw the men within the court running round to defend the gateway; but ere they could fire a shot, there was the flashing of steel, and a little ridge of bristling bayonets appeared; their banners changed hands; the sepoys broke and rushed for the doorway and windows of the inner court; and in a wonderfully short time, so rapidly flowed in the stream of glittering bayonets through the archway, the court was cleared, and the firing came now, as I had expected, from the inner windows and the roof.

I heard the orders ring out. "No firing! In with you, lads; the bayonet!" and with a rush, our men leaped in at the door, climbed in at the windows, and as the stream still flowed in through the gateway, the fighting was going on in room after room, and our foot regiment chased the flying sepoys from floor to floor, to finish the deadly strife upon the roof.

It was horrible, but through it all there would come the remembrance of the horrors perpetrated by the savage mob and the brutal soldiery. There was a wild fascination about it, too, and I could not turn away, but stood with staring eyes and stunned ears, noting how the fire rapidly ceased, and wild cheering rose as room and roof were cleared.

I was standing by the window full of exultation, triumphing in the bravery and daring of the Englishmen, who must have been outnumbered by six to one, when I heard shots close at hand, yells, shouts, and the rush of feet; and the next minute my attendants and guards came backing in, fighting desperately as much in my defence as for their own lives, for they were driven from room to room by half a dozen men of the foot regiment that had stormed the place, and then for the first time I recalled that I was standing there in turbaned helmet and regular Eastern uniform, girt with jewelled belts, and with a magnificent tulwar at my side.

"They'll take me for a Hindu chief," I thought as, quick as lightning, I snatched out the blade.

I was just in time.

Half my defenders were down, the others had dropped from the windows in spite of the depth, and two men with levelled bayonets dashed at me.

I did not think I could have done it, but I had worked hard at sword practice, and with a parry I turned one bayonet aside, avoided the other with a bound, and sent the man who would have run me through, down on his knees, with a terrible cut across the ear.

The others turned upon me, but I had found my tongue.

"Halt! Back, you idiots!" I roared. "I am a friend."

"Oh, bedad, an' I don't belave ye," cried one of the party, as the others hesitated; and he held his bayonet to my breast. "Give up yez sword, or I'll make a cockchafer of ye."

I turned his point, and cut at another man frantically, for they were too much excited to listen to explanations. But in another instant I believe I should have been bayoneted, if there had not been a wild cry, and a dark figure rushed between me and my dangerous friends.

"Stop, he's a sahib," roared the new-comer, and I saw it was Dost.

"Then he's me prisoner, and that sword's me loot," cried the Irishman.

"Stand back!" I roared. "I am Lieutenant Vincent, of Captain Brace's troop."

I took off my helmet as I spoke, and the men were convinced.

"Look at that now," said the Irishman; "jest, too, when I thought I'd got a bit of lovely shpoil."

At that moment there was a rush of feet, and a tall grey officer hurried in, followed by another, and quite a crowd of men.

"Have you found him?" cried the tall officer.

"Oh, bedad, yis, colonel," cried the Irishman.

"What! the rajah?"

"Yis, sor. There he is, only he shwears he's a liftinant in a troop."

"That!" cried the officer; and then, in a choking voice, "Why, Gil, my boy, is this you?"

I could not speak, only cling to him who had a thousand times nursed me in his arms.

"Hold up, boy, be a man," he whispered; but his arms tightened round me. "I thought you were dead, Gil," he cried excitedly. "But why are you like this?"

"I am a prisoner, father," I said.

"But the rajah?" he said excitedly. "Where is he?"

"He left here an hour ago to head his men," I said. "But, father, if you take him, defend him; he has been very good to me."

"Let's take him first," cried my father. "Now, my lads, forward! He must be somewhere in the place."

"Three cheers for the colonel's boy!" cried the Irishman. "Your hanner should have been here a bit sooner to see him foight. Hi, Sam Raggett, get up and show the colonel your ear. You're not half killed yet."

"Forward!" cried the colonel. Then to the officer with him. "Smith, take charge of my son. A sergeant's guard, Gil," he cried from the door. "Take off some of those things. You look like a sepoy chief. It is not safe with the lads like this."

He hurried after his men, and the young officer held out his hand.

"Tell me," I said quickly; "Captain Brace—my troop?"

"Yonder, not a hundred yards away," he said. "Didn't you hear him speak?"

"Yes," I cried. "Thank Heaven, then, it was he."

"Let's get out of here," said my new friend; "but hadn't you better change your clothes?"

"He cannot, sahib," said a voice behind me. "He has none here."

"Hallo! who are you?" cried the officer.

"My servant," I cried, as I laid my hand on his arm. "Dost, you saved my life."

"And he'll have to save it again," cried my new friend, "if we stay here. Come along, and let's get among our men, for this palace swarms with the enemy yet."

Even as he spoke, a couple of shots rang out, and as they were aimed at us, we rapidly beat a retreat.



CHAPTER FORTY NINE.

My appearance excited plenty of surprise as we reached the front of the palace, where a portion of my father's regiment had now fallen in, the enemy having taken flight, and a couple of squadrons of lancers were in full pursuit. But in a very short time it was whispered through the regiment that I was the colonel's son, and I was saluted with a cheer.

Just then there was the clattering of hoofs, and an officer galloped up, "Where's Colonel Vincent?" he cried; and I looked at him wildly.

"Scouring the palace with a couple of companies of men."

"But the people are pouring out of the town, and only those lancers after them."

"He's trying to catch the rajah."

"Got away safe," cried the officer. "I want orders to pursue; I can't stay here. Whom have you got there—the rajah's son?"

"Brace, don't you know me?" I cried, in a choking voice.

"Gil!" he shouted, and he swung himself off his horse, and rushed at me. "I thought I should never see you again. A prisoner?"

"Yes, yes," I cried.

"But—"

He loosened my hands.

"You haven't—? Oh, Gil, my lad!"

That seemed the unkindest cut of all—to be suspected after what I had gone through; and I half turned away.

Brace saw it as a confession that I had turned renegade, and his face was growing very dark as my father strode up.

"Pursuit, Captain Brace," he said; "the rascal has escaped."

Brace sprang into his saddle, and galloped away, while, in spite of my father being at hand, my heart sank, and I felt more miserable than I had been for days.



CHAPTER FIFTY.

I stayed by my father, who, in the intervals of giving orders for the occupation of the palace by the troops, the planting of sentries and pickets, and the stoppage of all pillaging, told me how he, with his regiment and two squadrons of lancers, had joined the other foot regiment and Brace's horse artillery. That plans had been made for the attack on Ahdenpore, the Maharajah Ny Deen's chief city, and this had been carried out by one regiment of foot, half the horse artillery battery, and two troops of light horse, the rest, the larger part of the force, remaining at a distance quite out of sight.

The object had been to make a bold attack, and if the rajah's people gave way, to advance and send for help from the hidden force. But, if they fought stubbornly, to retire, and keep on making so sturdy a defence as should lure the rajah's army on to a long pursuit, leading them right away from the town, which was then to be attacked by Colonel Vincent's force while the greater part of the rajah's men were away.

This had all been carried out. The retreating party would be by this time retiring or holding its ground, and as soon as it was day, if the rajah's men had not heard of the defeat through the fugitives from the town, they would be attacked, and taken between two fires.

"But ought you not to advance at once, father?" I said. "Your men are flushed with success, and you are sure of meeting the enemy as he comes back."

He clapped me on the shoulder.

"Good!" he said, looking at me proudly. "Quite right, if the men were fresh, but they are worn out with marching, fighting, and want of food. They must have a few hours' rest."

"But if the rajah, with his fugitives, meets the returning force, and they come back and attack us?"

"Let them," said my father drily. "I wish they would, and save us a long march to-morrow morning."

"But," I said, hesitating, and afraid to hear the news, in case it should be very bad, "mother and sister Grace?"

We had by this time entered the palace, and naturally I had led my father to the room I had occupied.

He looked very hard and stern as he drew a long deep breath.

"They are in God's hands," he said.

"Not dead, father?" I cried wildly.

"Heaven forbid, boy!" he said excitedly. "I was summoned away with all who could be spared, to form a junction with the —nth and Brace's troop. My orders were to take command, break up any bands which were collecting, and to keep an eye on Ny Deen, who has been a perfect firebrand through the country. I left as strong a garrison as I could at Nussoor, the place fairly provisioned and armed, and all the women and children are shut up in the Residency. But since I have been away with my little force I have had no communication with the place. We have been completely cut off, and it has been impossible to send or bring news."

"Then you know nothing of Nussoor?"

"Nothing."

"But have you sent messengers?"

"At least a dozen, Gil, my boy."

"How far is it?"

"About sixty miles from here—perhaps seventy. Once this maharajah is taken, we shall go to the relief of the place."

Just then there was a loud shouting, and my father sent an orderly for news; but the cause of the noise was announced directly.

The fire was gaining ground, and there was a possibility of its reaching the palace.

My father, who had thrown himself upon the cushions to snatch a few minutes' rest, sprang up.

"Come, Gil," he said, "you had better keep by me now, till your troop comes back. But have you no other clothes?"

"None," I said, "and I look like a enemy."

"No, no. A friendly native," said my father, laughing, as he hurried out to where a number of buildings were blazing furiously, and a company of the regiment were busily engaged in trying to extinguish the flames.

A few short, sharp orders were given, the men ceased their hopeless toil, and a sapper sergeant and a dozen men set to work to finish the task.

This they did by making a way amongst the people who had not fled. A quantity of powder was obtained from the rajah's magazine, and in less than half an hour, bags were planted here and there, several houses blown up, and all chance of the fire spreading was at an end.

As the night wore on, with every one but the pickets snatching some rest, there were different little incidents full of excitement, officer after officer coming in to make his report to my father. First there was the lancer officer who had not succeeded in capturing Ny Deen, who, with a very strong body of men, had entered a forest many miles away, and so evaded further pursuit.

Next came Brace, to announce that he had been too late to do any good in the darkness; but he had the news to impart that Ny Deen and his flying men had formed a conjunction with the little army which had been in pursuit of our men when the sham flight had been carried out.

Toward morning, this information was endorsed by the arrival of the foot regiment with the half of our horse artillery troop, and the lancers, who had all performed their duty with very little loss.

"Lie down and sleep, Gil," said my father. "We shall have hard work to-morrow."

"But suppose the rajah comes back to-night to try and surprise us?"

"He will not," said my father quietly. "He would, but he will not get his men up to the work. Hallo! what's this?"

For at that moment a white figure entered the room, looking perfectly clean and neat.

"Dost!" I exclaimed.

"Who is Dost?" said my father.

"My servant."

He had come to announce that a supper was spread in the outer room, and upon our going, there stood Salaman and three of his assistants, all of whom Dost had hunted out, and ordered to set to work.

"Very tempting," said my father; "but is all this safe?"

"On my head be it, sahib," said Dost, respectfully. "There is no poison in the meat."

The supper, which was partaken of by a dozen officers as well, being finished, we returned, after going the rounds, to my sleeping-chamber.

"Go to sleep, Gil, boy," said my father. "Our pickets will give plenty of notice if Ny Deen comes."

But I could not sleep for thinking of Brace, who had not been to the supper, and I wanted to make my position clear before my mind would be at rest.



CHAPTER FIFTY ONE.

The strange silence that reigned in the palace, the dying out of the fierce glare of the fire, and utter exhaustion, at last weighed down my eyelids, and I dropped into an uneasy sleep, but only to dream about escaping over the roofs with Dost, being captured, and then watching the terrible assault and carrying of the rajah's house. From that I wandered into the meeting with my father, and fancied that I was going with him to Nussoor, where my mother and sister would not recognise me because Brace had been there first and told them I was a miserable renegade who had gone over to the rebels, and slain women and children with a tulwar whose hilt and sheath were covered with jewels.

Oh dear, what nonsense one does dream when one's brain gets into a fevered state.

I was calling Ny Deen to witness to my perfect innocence, for he was somehow there at Nussoor, when my father suddenly said—

"It is of no use, Gil. You may as well get up."

I started awake to see that his grey, worn face was bent down over me, and found that he was holding my hand.

"You had better rouse up, and have a bath, lad," he said kindly. "Your sleep is doing you no good."

"Oh, what a horrible muddle of a dream," I exclaimed, as I sprang to my feet.

"You should have undressed, my lad. You are bathed in perspiration."

Dost came in just then with coffee borne by Salaman, and I turned to him directly.

"How did you escape?" I cried.

"I was beaten down, sahib, and I managed to crawl away. I was not much hurt," he added, with a smile.

"I am glad," I cried; and ten minutes later I was out in the court with my father, listening to the arrangements being made; and soon after I was audience to a little council of war in the rajah's principal room, where it was arranged that two strong companies of the other foot regiment should garrison the palace, and hold it while a troop of lancers stayed back to help preserve order in the town.

An hour later, they were forming a marching column to go out and give battle to the rajah and his force, which lay, according to spies, ten miles away, holding a patch of forest beyond the swift river which ran from there to this town.

"Which will you do, Gil?" said my father; "come with me, or stay with the major who is in command here?"

"I want to go back to my troop," I said sharply; and as I spoke, Brace, who had before met me that morning, came in looking very careworn, and with his uniform almost in rags.

"Ah, well," said my father; "here is your captain."

I hesitated for a moment, and then walked across to Brace, who moved away to one of the windows.

"You wish to speak to me, sir?" he said coldly.

"Of course I do," I cried passionately; "why are you so ready to condemn me unheard?"

"Say what you wish to say; we march in five minutes," he replied.

I could not speak, for the hot sensation of indignation which burned within me.

"You are silent," he said, with a contemptuous shrug of his shoulders. "Well, I am not surprised. I was making every effort possible, as soon as I heard through spies that you were alive, to rescue you; but when—"

"Well, when what?" I said indignantly.

"Since you take that tone, sir," he retorted, "when I had the news brought to me that you were perfectly unhurt, and had accepted service with the rajah as his chief officer of artillery, why then of course I gave you up."

"Who told you that?" I said hotly.

"One of the spies I sent in," he replied coldly.

"It was not true."

"Not true?" said Brace, bitterly. "Your appearance belies your words, sir. Why, were you not occupying rooms in the rajah's palace?"

"Yes; as a prisoner," I said angrily.

Brace laughed mockingly.

"A prisoner in a newly designed artillery uniform, and wearing a magnificent sword and belts, evidently presented by the rajah, I did not know Ny Deen treated his prisoners so well; I thought he murdered them at once."

I tried to speak, but for some moments no words would come, and it was he who spoke first.

"Well," he said, "have you anything to say?"

"Yes," I said; "I want to come back into the troop. Can I have a horse?"

"I have no means of looking after prisoners, sir," he said. "You can only join your troop as a captured rebel against your queen."

I turned away, and found myself directly after face to face with Haynes and Doctor Danby; but as I went up, the former turned his back and walked away, while the doctor blew out his cheeks and looked very fierce at me.

"Doctor," I said, holding out my hand, but he did not take it.

I laughed bitterly, thinking that they would all apologise to me some day.

"Brace thinks I have not been wounded," I said, signing to him to accompany me into another room.

His whole manner changed in the instant, and he was looking at me with interest.

"Eh? wounded?" he cried. "Let's see. Ah, head. Humph! Only a bad crack. Healing all right. Put on your iron pot again, and don't let it fret the place."

"Oh yes; that's all right," I said; "but my arm: shall I ever get the full use of it again?"

"Arm? Let's see."

I removed the loose tunic, and he turned up the delicate silk shirt I wore, to become wrapt at once in the interest of his profession, as he examined the wound carefully.

"Brace says you have not been hurt, does he?" cried the doctor. "Tell him to mind his guns, and not talk about what he does not understand. Why, it's a beautiful wound, my dear boy—a splendid cut. A little more draw in the cut, and the budmash who did it would have lopped it clean off. Here, who was your surgeon?"

I told him.

"Then he is a precious clever fellow, Vincent, and I should like to know him. By George, sir, he has saved your limb. Get back it's use? Oh yes, with care. Why, my dear fellow, I should have been proud of saving an arm like that. Here, let me help you on with your dandy jacket. So you would be Ny Deen's artillery general, eh?"

I only gave him a look.

"Not right, boy; but I suppose you could not help yourself. There, I must go."

We went back into the other room, where Brace, and nearly all the officers, had left.

"Father," I said, "Captain Brace will not have me back. Can I come with you as a sort of aide-de-camp?"

"Of course. Yes, my boy; but try and keep out of danger."

The next minute we were following the column out over the bridge, the head wing already raising a long cloud of dust, the horse artillery rattling away in front, and the lancers off scouting in front, and sending out flankers, to take care that no approach was made on either side of the flying column.

By my father's orders, a magnificent horse had been brought from the rajah's stables, and, mounted upon this, though I felt very sore about the treatment I had received, I was getting into excellent spirits; and as I was not to be a gunner, I was quite content to ride on in my dashing uniform, though I saw the cavalry and infantry officers exchange smiles.

It was very early yet, and the plain was quite deserted, while the hot sun formed a haze that the eyes could only penetrate to a certain distance.

Every one was on the look-out for the shimmering river and the patch of forest beyond, where we knew, from our spies, that the rajah had halted to gather his men together in as strong a position as he could find; and here my father expected that he would hold out while efforts were made to dislodge him from a place where our cavalry would be of no service. They would have to wait until the ranks were driven from among the trees, when the sharp charges of the lancers would scatter them in all directions.