THE BLUE DRAGOONS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 481, 10 July 1912, Page 2

THE BLUE DRAGOONS.

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AN INDIAN SOLDIER STORY. .'.-V ■■ ■ i 'i » ■» >( BY GEORGE MftJWJLLE FENN. p&isr m. On the foHo-wiag day such quiet reigned and so little firing had taken place that Colonel Bruce asked the governor and his daughters to be his guests at a sort ol makeshift dinner, and on Sir Graham acceding, several of the officers- and civilians and their wives were invited to meet them, among the officers being Lawrence and Melton. The latter, however, declined to go. and Lawrence went alone, enjoying himself thoroughly, for Ella land Laura Leslie, though pale, looked in his eyes radiant. > Dass Ru,,.ih his quality of butlei to the governor, "was there'; but he had co. rich wines to dispense, for water was the principal beverage and the viands were of the simplest character. v • , Nevertheless, the dinner was voted a success by- all. present, and the toast proposed by Colonel Bruce and drank by. the gentlemen standing, in water slightly dashed with the native 'rack to their speedy deliverance, Was received with enthusiasm. It was soon after this, when thq ladies were gathered at one end of the rough' warehouse, in which some attempts at decoration had been made with the colours of the regiment, and while the officers and* civilians were discussing the situation at the other, that a black servant slipped a note into Lawrence's hand. " How tiresome !" he muttered. " Just too, as I was going to join the ladies !" Going to a light, however, he read the lines the scrap of paper contained. They were as follows : . ' Dear Fred;— Come to me at once. I am waiting by the three-gun battery. Important.~Yoi.rs, John Melton. " Jack's always finding mares nests," said Lawrence, peevishly. " 1 must have a word with the ladies' first." He went to a seat where Laura was nearly alone, and she turned to him with a pleasant smile directly. Her voice was very husky however and it was plain she did not feel the peace she assumed, as she whispered: " Speak low, and tell me. Is anything the matter ?" «' Matter ? No !" he said, , Playfully. " Don't trifle with me," cried Laura, sternly. >" I saw a note brought to you. Was it from Captain Melton ?" " Most peremptory '"of ladies, \yes, it was," said "Lawrence playfully. "Why was he not -here ?" continued Laura. "He objects to appear in public, till time has been kinder to him," said Lawrence, smiling. " But tell me," urged Laura, "is anything the matter?" " Not that I am aware of," said Lawrence. " But what can be, without some alarm being given ?" He sauntered out and joined Melton waiting for him, "pacing anxiously- up and down. " How long you have been !" .ne said, sharply; " tell me, is that kitmutgar of'-the Governor's in there ?" >.'."« " No," answered Lawrence, feeling startled, and trying, to see his friend's face, but it • was too .dark — "No ; I saw him go;out an hour ago. "Why do you-ask ?"

" Come here, more into the sha-' dow," said Melton, quietly, and he drew his friend aside.'; "I was sit*, ting out here, thinking, while you people were at dinner, and .was quite in the dark, when a man came out who I fancied was the Governor's black servant." " Yes, go on;" cried Lawrence, eagerly. "He came close by me and seemed to make some which was answered from outside—-a stone thrown over, I think. Fred, I'm afraid we have traitors in the camp ; but I want something more before I give any alarm." " I believe the fellow is a? traitor," said Lawrence; "he is top smooth and smiling." " "Have you your sword ?" asked Melton.

" No ; but I have a small revolver in my breast," was the reply. '* Get it out, and. then we'll go along under the; "wall and see if we can make anything out. The darkness is so thick that one cannot see even the sentries."

" Jack, old fellow/, they've been too quiet outside lately," whispered Lawrence, now thoroughly'aroused by his companion's words. •"Come along and let's see and then we'll have a few words with the colonel."But before the two young men had taken half-a-dozen strides a couple of dark figures seemed to rise up behind them as if from the ground ; a cloak was thrown; over each man's head, was twisted tight, and before they could attempt resistance a dozen hands seized them they were borne down, and i the next minute lay pinioned beneath the wall; and this in so. quiet a maimer that the nearest sentry leaned there in the darkness apon his piece, peering outward f for the danger that was to come from withinCHAPTEIjt X. - A DARING PLAN. There was" no men lament going or in the little garrison of the magazine. Rumours of the shortness of food and doubts that the weßs would giv< rtri* / iteon on conse

by the horses and elephants, began to be rife —and these rumours had £ terribly depressing effect ; so tc counteract these troubles Colonel Bruce took care that the men of the two regiments should have such atausement as could be provided. On the evening, then, of the dinner at which Lawrence had been present, and to which Melton had declined to go, the men of the Blue Dragoons hsid invited the infantry to sup with them.

This, of course, only meant a small portion of each regiment, for the call of duty kept two-thirds away for guard'ng, '.manning the guns, and'.re: lief. Their turn would come on another occasion, but the feasters had, what was to; them, a royal time. The banquet consisted of two sheep roasted whole, and rice puddings. The liquids were water, with a very small porticn of native arrack, diffused therein.

As Jackson, who was present said, it would have been better if it had been all 'rack or all water, for the mixing spoiled both, while as to the sheep they were excellent. Excellent, that is to say, in the jollity they diffused amongst, the men ; for the" number of jests and merry sayings to which they gave occasion was startling. The jokes began with the carvers, who, from beginning in undress uniform, soon reached the* point of stripping off jackets and rolling up sleeves. ■ For the antiquity and stringiness of those sheep ' was something marvellous. They must have been more active than mountain goats, and seemed to be exclusively composed of tone and muscle. '

But the tougher the mutton, the more heartily the men laughed, and afterwards they sat smoking, drinking" their verj thin grog, and singing songs, every one of them necessarily carried a roaring chorus. One sang " The British Grenadiers" an ;th;r "Young Harry who 'listed," Jackscn, who possessed a good mellow voice, made the hit of the evening with the song of a brave .British soldier who suffered a martyrdom of music by blowing himself all through a trombone. , ■

At last, after plenty of handshakings and good-nights, with to polish ofi the niggers wholesale, and fight for the women and children. to the last gasp, the men parted early to seek their quarters, a ll in high spirits, though they knew that the next day might see thsm carried to the pit dug for their reception by the working party in the quadrangle. Jackson got away by himself with the intention of having a quiet smoke. ,

"It's pretty cool out here," he said to himself, and he took out and filled , Kis pipe as> he went slowly along in the darkness, and it was observable that instead of leaving his stable jacket unbuttoned, he braced himself-up smartly, stopped, removed his jaunty cap, took out a pocketcomb and smoothed his hair ; shut the comb up with a snap, put his cap on more on one side than ever ; shook his head, squared his shoulders and stepped out, quite the smart, cavalry man. " 'Tain't like as she will see me," he muttered, "for it's as black as a beaver hat put here ; and 'tain't likely as she'll come near me, but I won't smoke. Like as not she don't care a straw for me, when there's so many smart fellows in the regiment ; but I'm awful fond of her all the same, and it seems to do a feller good to have a look at her windy. Lor' what a fool a feller makes of himself when he" gets spoony on a gal ! , I couldn't have thought I'd have been such a muff, and .our fellers would laugh at me like fun if. they knew all. . Well, I don't care!" he said defiantly ; " let 'cm !"

Meanwhile he was making his way slowly in the direction of that part of the building where the windows ol the Governor's two rooms looked out upon the compound—a spot he often chose to sit.: down and stare out at night when it was dark, and he was off duty ; though in consequence of the supper he was now much later than usual. , n

His steps were inaudible in the soft sandy dust as he went on, and the darkness was so intense that he bad some difficulty in making his way along without stumbling over some of the barrels and empty chests ,7hich cumbered the ground ; but he progressed softly until he felt that he was at the right spot, and then muttered an exclamation of disgust.

" Lights out," he muttered."Never mind, ;bless her little 'art;, she's sleeping happy" enough by this time. Thank gpodriesV I polished that chap dS to-day at the top of the house. Suppose her going along, and taken, a shot at her—Eh ! 'ullo,, what's that ?" . . "

He stood perfectly, still listening, tor he fancied he had heard whispers close under the windows of the Governor's room. v>- ; 7 Yes, there was no mistake abou< it, and stooping down he crept a little nearer. , "Oh, it's too bad," his heart moaned. " I did think she was e little trump, and as modest and good as gold. There's one of oui lads with her now, talking to h'ei out of the window. Very well, Miss 'Lisbeth, just as you like. Yov; might have had a fellow, such as hi is, as would have been, a true mar to'you, and would have laid dowr and died, sooner than harm shoulc come to you. But there— the mon fool me ! I know'd well enough whai womon are. Dash it all, what at idjot I've been." He crept a little closer. " All right, my saucy, little bird,' he muttered, "I won't hurt you* but if I don't give wh£»ver he is s core h:ad to take Mfne to bed witl him, my name 4»n't Jackson. H ain't, going to have the laugh of m. f~~ «V.4hinv »» v v ill:.',

fellow's forehead and neck, his pulses beat furiously, his fists clenched and it would have gone hard with a rival if one had been encountered. He crept on steadily for a few yards longer, getting beneath the shelter of the angle, where the clatucaess was, if possible, more intense, and here his dark-blue uniform stood him in good stead. " He'll have it hot, I can tell him," he muttesed ; and then he crouched" down a little lower and literally hugged himself in the revulsion of feeling that seized him.

" Oh, my little darling," he whispered to himself, " I'm down on my knees, asked you to forgive me for ever being such a beast as to. thirf'you false. It ain't her window—it -in't her window— it her window."

Jaclcson remained ' , few moments, and then prepared tc back away, but' this seemed to be a -more difficult task than getting there. " 'Tain't no business of mine," he thought to, himself. "That's them two young ladies' window and they're having a chat on the sly with a couple of our officers,. I'll be bound. Who'd ever have thought that a couple of such serious-looking gals would carry on such games ?" '

" 'Ullo !" muttered Jackson again, as after an attempt at retrogression, he found he must remain still or be discovered.. "Why, there must be dalf-a-dozen of 'em, and if that ain't a ladder they're putting up the wall, I'm a Dutchman." He listened and strained his eyes a ga-in. "Why, they're in white toggery," he muttered. "They're niggers. Hang me ; if there ain't some devil's game up here." He beagn to back cautiously away until he could safely turn, and then feeling that the bayonet he now wore in place of the sabre was quite safe—for the orders were that, even' at meals, no man should go entirely unarmed—he crept on all fours rapidly for a little way, and then rose to a stooping position, and began to run, meaning to fetch a strong picket from the temporary booth which formed the guard-house, and lead them to the menaced point. "Why, the blackguards must-be after the two ladies, to carry them off as they.did before, when Captain Melton got them back, and— What the " '

Jackson did not finish his •sentence, for he suddenly encountered a figure which seemed to spring from the earth and close with him, a 'sharp struggle ensuing, during which Jackson knew in a moment that he was engaged with one of the natives; and as to its being an enemy, all doubt of that was put to an end by the savage blow made at him by his adversary with a knife—a blow, however, which passed through his jacket sleeve, and only grazed his arm. " Oh, ■■■that's it, is it?" muttered the young man, panting as he struggled with the lithe Hindoo ; and as be did so, he succeeded in getting, at his bayonet which he drew daggerwise. But the moment he had done bo—holding on the while to his enemy's armed hand—he tripped over something prone on the ground, and fell heavily with his enemy on top of him.

" It's time to call out help now," thought Jackson; but somehow he remained silent,, and struggled to get his band at liberty for a blow at. the man who held him down, but a low, stifled groan was - the only result, and then, by a tremendous effort, he succeeded in wrenching, himself aside.

The Hindoo rolled passively away, dragging the young man's hand with him, and to Jackson's horror he found that the wretch had, in falling impaled himself upon the bayonet, which was forced right through his breast.

The young private felt sick as he tore the weapon out of his dead adversary, and then started, for a dull, smothered cry seemed to come from the ground close by. " . • At first Jackson thought it was the Hindoo, but he was perfectly motionless, and on stooping down, there lay something blacker* than the night as.seen upon the dusky sand. ;

Holding his bayonet ready in case of treachery, Jackson bent,down cautiously, and found that there were two ' men lying bound, their heads being tightly bound in blankets.

"Well, you can'.t : be enemies, anyway," exclaimed Jackson ; and with some - little difficulty '■ he dragged the swathing from their heads, and set their arms, which were bound behind their backs, free from the robes. "Now then, who are jou?" he said, roughly. - "Quick .'—rouse the guard!" was the reply. " There's treachery in the place ! I'll follow as soon as I can."

" Cap'n Melton, sir !" exclaimed Jackson, in astonishment. "Yes ! Quick, man ! Run !" Jackson waited for no further orders, but ran off to the guard-house and breathlessly told his story, with the result that one long note was blown upon a bugle in a peculiar way.

. On hearing this every ' sentry fixed his bayonet, and brought his piece to the present, knowing that there was danger near, and that it might at any moment come from his side, still and peaceful as the place seemed all round.

Almost simultaneously with the low bugle blast, two strong pickets started from the guard-tent at the double, the one making for the entry to the governor's quarters, the othei for the other side of the building, where the windows looked out upor the compound. (To be continued.)

The reason I beat the Austrians is, they did/not Jmow the value of fivr