THE BLUE DRAGOONS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 480, 6 July 1912, Page 2

THE BLUE DRAGOONS.

\ All Rights Reserved.

« -♦ " AN INDIAN SOLDIER STORY; BY GEORGE MANVILLE PENN. PART 13. A shot was fired directly he appeared, and five more followed as he sped across the compound like, a hunted deer. One bullet struck up the dust, another whistled by his ear ; again another passed so close that he seemed to feel-it graze his arm, and then he was put of the marksmen's sight, almost knocking the Governor down, so roughly did he dash against him, to the old gentleman's intense astonishment.

"It was certain death for both oi you," panted Lawrence, as he turned to Laura Leslie., "Pray go back."

." Absurd, sir !" exclaimed the obstinate old man, whose injuries had not been without their effect on his brain. " A few bullets are sure to be , flying about at such a time. Laura come along." "If you value your father's life, in Heaven's ' name, do not stir,* Miss Leslie," said Lawrence, pleadingly.

Sir Graham was about to make some angry remark, but Laura her arm in his, laid her disengaged hand pleadingly on his breast,-and gave him so loving, yet supplicating a look, that the old man yielded to herj muttering angrily the while at Lawrence as he turned away, v

" But i you are not going back across that dreadful court, Mr. Lawrence ?" said Laura pleadingly. "I was going," he said, smiling.

" Pooh !" exclaimed the Governor; " there is no danger." Lawrence made as if to start, feeling piqued at the contemptuous manner in which the old man spoke; but on second thoughts he felt that if he crossed under fire, Sir Graham might take it into his head to do the same ; so he went round under the shelter of the wall, and thus reached the place where. Jackson was waiting for him from the other side. , "Now then, Jackson," he said, "1 am, going to do something without waiting for: orders. Ah, Melton—you here ?" Captain ' Melton nodded gloomily. •

"Oh, 'by the Way, old fellow," said "Lawrence taking his aside, "you need not have gone off like you did— Oh, well, just as you like ! Don't be offended."

For Captain Melton laid Ms hand upon the young man's lips and turned away. "Where are you going ?" he said, after a pause.

"To try and silence those scoundrels on the top of the house on the other side there. Hang it, man, don't go out of cover unless you want: a hole through you. The've got their best marksmen up there. and I'm going to try and pot one oi two.. Do you go and see the colonel and warn him about the state of affairs." *

Melton went slowly away, for he was still weak from the injuries he had received ; and, motioning tc Jackson to follow, Lawrence entered one of the large warehouse-like buildings, climbed to the top, took a looS round, but found no window to answer his purpose. V We shall have to, get out 'on the roof, Jackson," he said ;" but J don't see how."

" Why not have out a stone or twe sir, and make a place just big enough for your rifle ?" "You're a genius, Jackson !" exclaimed the young officer. "Here, give me the gunsi and slip down and get a crowbar from the sergeant-at-arms."

Jackson ran off, all eagerness, and Lawrence, meanwhile, glanced round at the \stores, to find that for the most part they were bales of clothing about as useless to them in theii present state as anything could well be.

Jackson soon ' returned, though; with the crowbar, and slipping of" his jacket 'and rolling up his sleeves, he soon loosened a stone, pulling it inwards, while after ten minutes' more work he had worked a second so loose that a heavy blow from the butt end of the crowbar sent it.down into the court with a crash.

" That's splendid, Jackson !""■ cried Lawrence, excitedly. " Stop a moment, sir," cried ttu young man; "the loophole's too big. This ston«'s broken, so we'll pop half of it back. There ! now, how's that?" "Splendid, my lad. I'm ever sc much higher than the rascals, and can put a stop to tjieir game." ,

"If you see the one that made the hole in my jacket, sir, give' him th€ first shot."

Lawrence laughed, and carefully inspected the top of the house, which was about a hundred and fifty yards distant, and quite twenty feet lower down than the building where he stood. His own position was admirable, for unless the enemy coulc; hit him through the aperture, only a few inches square, , there was not a chance of his being injured, while they lay on the flat roof, with theii muskets presented, - watching like birds of prey for the first who came within range of .their pieces. '-■ So far they were in'perfect ignorance of the .jdanger that awaited them and full of' eagerness, Lawrence gave his directions to his, follower. "I'll keep firing,/and you load for me, Jackson," he said. "Yes, sir ; and just as a sort of reward to your faithful follower," ' said Jackson, loading one rifle, "you'll say to me, 'Privat< Jackson, there's a black scoundrel you may pot !* " " Perhaps so," said Lawrence grimly, as he took the rifle,,, and he then uttered, a cry,of fear, for hj« juue «ig«n«l»--«Hi lnrtnhtile Oolone

ins i Q perfect ignorance of their danger towards the centre of the ;omPound, where tney would be in full view of the marksmen on thte top Df the house. ,

Ihe mutineers either heard the steps or the voices, for there was a slight movement among them and one man deliberately cocked his piece, and rose a little so as to try and be 'n advance of his comrades.

As he saw all this, an electric thrill seemed'to run through Lawrasca and feeling bow terrible would to the loss if Colonel Bruce fell, he passed his own piece through the loophole, and covered the most prominent man, hoping that by so doing he would, at all events, wound him sufficiently to throw confusion aaicngst the others and so give time to the endangered men to escape. ;

All "this took place in but a few moments of time, and the young man had thrust the rifle barrel far out; but suddenly, thinking that by withdrawing, so that only an inch or so protruded from the wall, he might keep his hiding-place a secret for a few minutes, he drew it back so that he only rested the end of the barrel upon the stone. "Cover him in a tender place, sir," whispered Jackson; and at the same moment the young officer saw the enemy taking aim. His hand trembled violently, a mist rose before his eyes, and he bit his lips with annoyance that he should suffer from so much emotion at so important a time. ' . For he knew that hesitation now :neant failure, and he would have given anything for steadiness of arm.

He glanced down at the court and saw that there .was not a moment to spare, if he wished to be of use ; so, trying hard to nerve himself he took one steady look along the barrel of the Enfield rifle covering the foremost mutineer, who was now in half-kneeling position, and fired. If a second could be appreciably divided then in half that space of time did the report of Fred Lawrence's rifle rang out before that of the mutineer's on the housetop, and as the smoke cleared, away from the rough loophole, Lawrence exclaimed, bitterly . Jackson !", he continued, handing back the empty weapon.

"So did they, too,, sir," exclaimed the "private. "Look, the colonel and the major ain't hit, and they've run into cover." ' '

"Ah, welli I disarranged the scoundrels' aims," said Lawrence, preparing for another shot. "I should just think you did, sir," cried Jackson, pausing, cartridge in hand in the act of loading. "Look at that, sir !" Lawrence was already gazing eagerly through the loophole at the housetop. .

.He had see. that 'his bullet struck thte parapet in front of the man he wished to bring down, for there a dash of white dust rose ;' but as for the man, he had remained after giving a violent start,. which was 2ommunicated to his companions, perfectly still.

As Lawrence then took the second rifle, and thrusting it forward, prepared for a second,shot, he withdrew it; for the sepoy rose to ais feet, threw up his hands, dropped his musket, and plunged headlong down into the street. .

The bullet had "risen after striking the parapet and passed through his chest.

"One to us, sir," said Jackson, making the iron raimrod ring! in the barrel of his rifle.- "Return ramrods —cap —tnere you are, sir,, and ready again. Try that ugly chap with his whiskers tied behind the back of his head, sir.. He looks like an old tomcat thete on the tiles, and as viciods. Look at 'em', sir."

Lawrence was already covering this man, and watching the actions of the party on the housetops.

Consternation seemed to have fallen upon them, and in place of now eagerly watching the court below, they were evidently seeking for the place from whence the Bhot had come. .■■■'■';

The guns' were" pointed in every direction and their fierce, swarthy faces even at that distance, seemed to wear an aspect of surprise and rage that was very marked. ' Tho hole in the wall was, however so small that they did not notice it especially as the faint puff of smoke that had been sent out into the broad sunshine had long * passed away.

Suddenly one of them began to fire' at a picket right on the other side, not seeing that it was impossible that the shot could have come .from there.

There .. were six of the- scoundrels now in full view of Lawrence ; but the heads of others appeared at intervals through the trap which led out on to-the Jiousetop. The barrels of guns also protruded, showing that a reserve was ready ; and even as the young officer watched, another man took the place of the dead. , "Well," muttered Lawrence, "this seems a treacherous way of going to work*'; but what am I to do ? They would have killed me a dozen times over if they could ; and as to the poor women There, I must bring you down, my fine felloes, and you'll 3oon be able to have a shot at me." He fired again, and another man 3taggered and.fell back* Then taking the loaded rifle quickly from Jackson's hand Lawrence fired again and in his haste, missed. . " Better luck next time, sir. Take it coolly. Aim in the thickest part, sir," said Jackson, handing a rifle once more, which he had loaded as quietly and methodically as> he would 'bis carbine on review day. Lawrence fired again,- this time, too with no better aim, and. still |he sepoys seemed puzzled ;V but -jas 'he

cnere "arose a loud shout from the Housetop •; they had seen the —to them —tiny hole from whence came the smoke, and as the young man fired again, this time with so deliberate in aim that an enemy went down, half a dozen hullets pattered on the stone work of the large warehouse, and from that moment the firing be:amc continuous. t The duel had now attracted the attention of half the little garrison, and cheer after cheer'arose at every ;hot fired by Lawrence, who, fortunately became cooler every moment, jven though his danger had now increased. .

" You fire away, sir !" cried Ja2-c----;on encouragingly. "They can't hit that hole from where they are ; you sec if they can. Why—.Well, I'm blest !"

.'* You're a bad prophet, Jac'cson," said Lawrence, taking aim again regardless of the fact that a bullet had been so well aimed that the edge Df the loophole had been struck and a shower of dust and cement had been scattered into the room. .- ?' I shouldn't have thought it, sir," remarked Jackson, ramming down a fresh cartridge. " Well, they won't do it again, anyhow. I'd mark that chap if I was you, sir." "I have, Jackson," said the marksman. " He's a fair fellow, who keeps lying down,' like a rifle-' man. I've fired at him four times, but hvt someone else .every time." . " Never mind, sir—that's all prizes and no blanks," said Jackson. " You'll give him one for himself yet, I know." " I shall try,V muttered Lawrence in nowise angered by his companion's freedom ; for in these lifc-and-death. times the bonds of discipline were to some extent loosened, As he spoke he fired again, and half a dozen fresh bullets replied. " Another down, sir," said Jackson, handing him a fresh load.. "Yes, another down," said Lawrence, taking more careful p,im at the principal marksmen en the roof; but he was so, well covered that the young , officer-missed hiiri. again, and a shot from the fellow's piece passed through the loophole, r.n r l within an inch of Lawrence's head.

" You'll- have to polish him off, sir, or he'll do ro:i_ a mischief. Might I have a try?" asked. Jackson.

"By all means," said Lawrence ; and the private took a very long and careful aim.

" I'm going to shoot at the' roof just below him, sir, and I think the shot will rise." Lawrence looked over his follower's shoulder as he took his aim, and he could see' that the mutineer was lying down, methodically loading his piece. The places of those who had fallen were refilled at this time, but it was evident that, with the exception of one, they were not such good marksmen as those who had been first on the; roof, for, excepting when the man covered 'by Jackson fired, the bullets went very wide ol the mark the sepoys tried to hit. "Crack!" went/ Jackson's rifle, and he lowered it, and stood watching the effect. " That. touched him, sir—that touched him!" said Jackson, slowly feeling for' a fresh cartridge. VI thought— that— that— he's down by jingo !" Jackson's hesitating speech was terminated by. a shout of delight, for the clever marksman of the party had started to his knees, wildly fired his piece in the air, and then rolled over upon his back.with the effect that the five men on the roof crept under cover.

" A splendid shot, ' Jackson !" cried Lawrence, clapping the young man on the back.

" Thanky, sir ; but I wish it had been , you as had done it/' said Jackson, modestly. "It was only a bit of luck, for I'm about nothing with a rifle." .*' We've silenced them for the present," said Lawrence. " Keep here for a. bit now, whilei I go down iand have a word with the colonel." So effectually was the Grin's: on the housetop quelled that for the rest of the afternoon and evening not a shot was fired, Jackson being relieved by a couple of the infantrymen, whose presence was considered by Colonel Bruce to be quite sufficient to subdue any further attempts from that quarter ; so he refused tc listen to any of the proposals of Lawrence as to the blowing up ol the house.

The besieged party were so far unmolested now, save by these exceptional incidents that there was every prospect of their being able to hold out until the beleaguered position was known, for every attempt at assault had been beaten off, and the place had grown so strong that only the most daring escalade would have taken it.

For though a cavalry officer, Colonel Bruce had full belief in the engineering maxim that spades were trumps, not clubs ; and he showed this belief in making his followers use their spades incessantly in casting up earthworks, in place of coming to blows with clubs—otherwise swords and muskets.

There were two great dangers, though to be dreaded—namely, the failure of supplies and treacherj. This last seemed the greater- danger, for there were a great number ,of natives within the walls ; and though they all professed friendship to the sahibs and their readiness to., die for .them, Colonel Bruce was not ibove having his suspicions. To be Continued.