THE BLUE DRAGOONS

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 491, 14 August 1912, Page 2

THE BLUE DRAGOONS

AN mulm SOLDIER STORY. BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN. PART 24. " Bafck !" whispered Alsa. "Quicklet us run," and turning, they all sped back the way they hjnd come. But before they were half-way bach they were seen from the courtyard below, when some ruffian uttered a shout, and, utterly regardless of who they might be, threw up his match, 'and fired at them. His example was followed directly by a BCore of others ; but though the balls pattered against the stonework and chipped off the ornamental ing, matchlock- men are n'ot, as a rule, able to hit objects that are rapidly passing before their gaze. It was so here. The fugitives passed on unscathed, but the alarm was given, and it brought the armed body they had so nearly encountered in full pursuit. The little party had, however, got a pretty good start, and, by turning down one after the other of the maze of passages, they were able to baffle their pursuers, and stopped at last, listening and panting, as they heard the faint cries raised by those who

were in chase. " She is slow," panted Alsa, with Hashing eyes as she pointed at Laura to whom she seemed to have taken an instinctive dislike. Laura darted a piteous look at her, but said nothing, only placed her hand on her heaving breast, and tried to subdue the throbbings of her heart. " Had we not better hide?—seek some place where we can stay till the pursuit is cooler," whispered Lawrence to Alsa; and she clung tightly to his arm and gazed in his face for a few moments. " Yes," she said at last, thoughtfully. Then, seeming to seize an idea she took a dozen steps'forward and listened.

Returning she whispered to Lawrence, while the sisters crouched upon the marble pavement at the feel of Melton.

" Yes," said Lawrence, . "if we could reach it unseen ; but is it possible ? Melton, she proposes that we should try to reach the zenana again and hide in one of the rooms, for, having been searched, it will not be molested again." " That sounds feasible," remarked Melton, calmly. " But about leaving there afterwards ? It is sure to be well guarded again directij " No," said Alsa quickly, " there will be nobody to guard it. Do you think the women will stay, knowing that Hissar is dead, and that there is a chance of escape ?" " She is right," replied Lawrence; and a grateful pressure of the hand followed from Alsa.

" Come, then," she said, " let us go." " How ?" asked Lawrence. "Which way !" "By the way we came," said the girl firmly. " What ! You are thinking of the dead men lying there ? They will be afraid," she continued, pointing to the sisters with both hands. " Let them cover tlieir faces, and we will lead them. I do not fear to see dead dogs." She had tightly hold of Lawrence's hand as 'she spoke, and she felt thai he shuddered. Turning her beautiful luminous eyes upon him she whisper* ed :

" That hbrrifies -you r Why ? Whj should I not be glad to look upon the carrion that would have slain my prince, the king ? But, Freda, quick—lest they fin'd us bers. You could slay , dozens ; but they wili come in their hundreds, and it would be too much."

Lawrence made an, effort to beat down the repugnance the girl's hardihood had excited, for he could nol conceal from himself that it was foi love of him that she ran these risks, and that, hut for her willing hanc ready to wield 'a dagger, he woulc have been lying stiffening upon the palace's blood-stained floor. " I shall save them by returning her love," he whispered to himself . and returning the girl's pressure, he looked tenderly in<;o her flashing eyes —eyes which softened beneath his gaze into a dreamy tenderness while the breast of their owner heaved, tc give forth a loving passionate sigh. The next moment thej were hurrying back through passages all desert ed, and crossing hall after ball o: the immense wandering building bul Melton whisperingly cried, " Halt!" "What is it ?" asked Lawrence gripping his sword more tightly. "We are followed," was the lacon ic reply. Alsa, who had been leading, sn'at ched her dagger from tier girdle anc threw herself before Lawrence, wit] eyes flashing with excitement. v The sisters saw her act, and shud dered, while Lawrence's heart fel gripped by a stony hand, and he fan cied he heard a sigh. He looke< from one to the other, but the; stood with averted eyes, tremblingly awaiting the result, as the littL party was strategically hurried on to turn an angle in tlie gallery the; were traversing, and then pause ii an arched doorway, which just con cealed them, and gave them a fresl chance of being observed if their pur suer should pass. If he did not, hi: fate was sealed ; for now that the; were so near the harbour of refug 'they intended to gain it. Melton explained that he hai caught sight of a white figur crouching down and following ther as it passed an opening throug: which the faint rays of the moon o> the coming moon, were shining.

The little group waited in breathless suspense, with Lawrence anc Meltons-sword in hand, ready tc spring upon him who was hunting them down, if he should see then: ■where they crouched.

Ihe moments seemed to be drawr out into hours as they waited, and at last it seemed that they must have been mistaken for though faint sounds as of search going on throu.eh the chambers of the vast building or rather, dhain of buildings which composed the palace, went on, not a footstep, or the rustle of a garment betrayed the coming of their pursuer.

"He must have gone back for help," whispered Melton, with his lips to Lawrence's ear, at the same moment that the young man felt Alsa's hand steal into his and press it hard.

For just then there was a slight rustle, and in the dim obscurity a white figure came slowly in sight, stooping down very low, and evidently listening eagerly for every sound.

The man was tracking them without doubt, and preceding with the caution of one who felt that his life was dependent upon his caution. He went along almost at a snail's pace in turning the corner, looking here and there, and as he came abreast of the doorway where the fugitives crouched he peered into it curiously; but though it was comparatively light where he stood, the darkness in the archway was intense. Every muscle on the part of the young officer was tightened for a spring—every nerve attent to set them in action ; and if the man had given a start, or made a movement to retreat he would have been pounled upon and cut down. But though tic gazed a moment or two in their direction, it was evident that he saw nothing, for he stepped softly forward again, passing out of sight, and a breath of relief was drawn, though he was between the fugitives now and the harbour of security they sought. Alsa then made a motion to step forward and watch;, but as she did so there suddenly echoed along the passage the sound of a door thrown open. There were shouts the buzz of voices, the noise of many feet and the man they had seen darted back, and literally leapt into Lawtence's arms which closed round him and held him fast.

" Move or speak, and you are a dead man !" hissed the young officer in the man's ear.

The newcomer remained perfectly still, and the sounds came very near while it was evident that whoever the party were, they were searching carefully, and lights sent their rays down the corridor. All seemed lost when a whisper from Alsa aroused them.

. "I have got the door open. In quickly !" she whispered ; and Lawrence felt those against whom he pressed yield as they evidently passed into a room or fresh gallery. "Move, and I run' you through!" whispered Lawrence again ; and he half carried, half dragged his prisoner after his companions, felt that a door was shut, heard it locked and a bolt shot into its staple, and the sounds outside grew dull and :onfused.

" Melton, here," whispered Lawrence— 1 ' a handkerchief —a gag— lest he call out as they pass by." "No, hang it all gents," said the prisoner, in the same tones, ",it you put anything in my mouth, let it be j*rub." " Jackson !"

" That's him, sir," whispered the prisoner. "You did not know my black mug. I was afraid to speak!" " Then it was you following us?" said Lawrence, eagerlj. "To be sure, sir, only I wasn't sure it was you on account of your togs, and had to be cautious. Pst ! Here they are!" As he spoke the shape of the door suddenly became distinct as the light from the torches shone through the cracks, and it was tried and battered with the butts of matchlocks, while hteavy pressure was directly alter brought to bear upon it as it loudly crackled. CHAPTER XX. THE FREEDOM THEY FOUND. All seemed over now, for they were in a small chamber, which had no other outlet ; but a loud voice shouted something and the light suddenly lisappeared, the sound of babbling voices swept by, grew distant, and faded away. " Close shave that, sir," said Jackson, coolly. " I thought it was all up. How you nipped my throat." " Hist !" whispered ' Lawrence. " Did you get horses ?" " To be sure I did, sir—three beauties. Found 'em all ready saddled ; and to make sure I ran 'em down a couple of hundred yards to that ruin that looks like a tomb' took 'em in one at a time, and tethered 'em in a dark hole to the iron bars of a sort of window." " Had you any difficulty ?"

" Well, no, sir, not much," said Jackson in a low voice, lest the ladies should hear ; " but the two chaps as had charge of 'em did." " What do you mean ?" asked Lawrence, eagerly.

" Only that they won't want any more horses," said Jackson, coolly " that's all." "You killed them!" exclaimed Lawrence with a shuddee.

" Well, sir, ,if I hadn't killed 'em, they'd have killed me, land I've had enough of their edged tools to last me for some time to come." Lawrence pressed the young man's hand and then turned to Melton. " Well," he said, " shall we ven-

ture on." " Yes," he said, " we must not stay here." "If he has the horses, why not try agaiD for the gate ?" said Alsa

quickly. " Let■ us~try while the placa is in confusion."

" Yes," replied Lawrence, " I thin": it would be better. There can lie no regular guards set on a night li'-.e this."

A short council was held and it was decided that after all this would be the better plan and once more they set off. Ou thrusting open the door, the plan was to follow in the wake oi the search party, as the most likely course to be free from the enemy; and it proved right, for they now reached a staircase in safety and descended to one of the open courts,

under the guidance of Alsa. } "Now, along here," she whispered, to Lawrence, who was now by her side, Laura walking with Jackson, and Melton and Ella bringing up the rear. " If," continued Alsa, "we cn> reach a little gateway here, I know we can from there reach Shah Jahak's tomb, and hide in peace. That must be where he has left the horses." " But if that is not the place ?"

" There are no other ruins near,"

said Alsa, hastily ; " and it will be a place of safety, for it is considered sacred, and no one will seek us &here."

On then,"-said Lawrence, hastily; ind after gazing cautiously about and listening, the girl led the way along the side of the < court. It was now fast approaching the time for the first traces of daylight to appear, for that which had betrayed Jackson was but from the stars. If their escape was to be made, it must be at once; and acting upon this the little party hurried on through the stony maze of outbuildings and adjuncts clustering about the palace proper. Twice * they were driven back by the sounds of approaching voices, but "ortunately, for them, the occupants of the palace were gathered more about the royal rooms and the zenana, which they had now left far behind.

Once, while pressing cautiously on, they came suddenly upon a group of armed men ; but the darkness favoured the fugitives and they quietly crept away.

Suddenly Alsa stopped at the edge of a beautiful little court, surroundsd by a piazza of delicate stonework while in the centre a fountain of sparkling water played musically into a marble basin, surrounded bj dark green lush-leaved plants. The sound of the water made Laura turn to Jackson.

" Give me some," she whispered ; " I am faint."

Alsa heard the words, and after a moment's listening—

" Go and drink," she said, for all was silent as the grave.

They drank thten of the cool, splashing water, scooping it up eagerly in their hands, for a feverish thirst, hardly noticed till they were in the presence of the water, troubled one and all.

" The little gate- v is here," whispered Alsa then to Tuawrerrce —" in this corner. This court was one of HissAr's resorts, and the key of the zenana should open it."

" And our hiding-place — the tombs ?" said Lav/rence, quietly. " But a short distance away," she replied. Then going round by the piazza, lest the courts should he overlooked, the little party were halted at last by a small doorway in the wall, and on the zenana keV being applied to it, the lock yielded easily ; the door was cautiously opened, and Alsa peered out to > see that the lane beyond was deserted. " Quick !" she whispered imperiously—"we can eEtsily reach the tombs;" and as they all passed out, she withdrew the key, and locked the door on the outside.

" Free !" she said, huskiily, the next moment, as sh« hurried the little party along amid st the lowroofed, thickly-clustered houses which seemed to have been built at the owners' pleasure, witboirt any attempt on this side of the paLace, to preserve uniformity ; and the consequence was that the rough, ill-paved, lanes ran tortuously among the wretched tenements, even as they had been trampled first in the hard <*arth.

Alsa threw the key of the gate as they hurried on, and then they paused, for a part of the lane was slightly illuminated, and. in the distance they could see one of the gates of the palace, with a crowd of men with torches, hurrying out. The girl then turned off to th>2 left, and after a few minutes' walking, pressed Lawrence's hand and pointed straight before them to a minaret and tall tpwer faintly seen against the starlit sky.

" There is the tomb. Ask vo ir follower if that i& where we hid the horses."

" Yes, that is tiie place," whispered Jackson, who had overheard the question. Straight on. —cn?.y I came another w.iy."

The words we re hardly out o£ his mouth before . Alsa uttered a varning cry, and struck at something' which seemed to leap out o£ the earth, and to fall back with a dagger wound thro ugh his heart. But the asjsailaiit had struck a keen blade at the same moment. He was on!!y one of a score who dashed at the little party with fierce cries and blowe were given and taken with the energy despair. (To be continued.)