THE BLUE DRAGOONS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 492, 17 August 1912, Page 2

THE BLUE DRAGOONS.

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AN-INDIAN SOLDIER STORY. BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN. PAR'S 25. CHAPTER XXI. FOR WHAT FATE ? Lawrence saw for a moment that his congianions were fighting like lions, but his attention was taken up directly after by the fierce attacks of those around, and he had to make his tulwar play fiercely round his head to protect Alsa, who held his left hand in hers, and faced in the contrary direction, her quick hand and keenly pointed dagger saving the man she loved from more than one assailant, who tried to take him at a disadvantage. But the fight was too unequal. Lawrence struck, gave point, guarded, till his sword arm fell like lead ; and then as he made, a desperate cut, which laid an enemy at his feet, before he could recover himself, the butt-end of a matchlock struck him full on the brow. He staggered into Alsa's arms, and then fell with the brave girl, ready from her knees to strike at the first comer ; but in an instant the dagger was snatched from her wrist, and a blow from the hilt of a tulwar laid her senseless across the body of him for whom she had dared so much.

When Lawrence recovered his senses it was to. find himself bound in a painful manner, lying on the floor of a dark chamber, into which light was shining through a little grating high overhead.

His memory was very weaki, for his head throbbed in the most agonising way, and it was soma time before he could do more than gaze up at the light which came through the grating, and shone in a well-defined manner, like a broad beam across the place. A sigh close by at length set his memory at work, and like a horrible dream there came to him the recollection of his past night's adventures, with his desperate engagement to the last, and as he tried to move his aching limbs he asked himself what had become of his friends —had they escaped, or were the; slain ! Just then the sigh was repeated.

" Who is there ?" asked Lawrence,

faintly. " Freda !" said a weak, sad voice

" Alsa, my child, is it you ?" he said, sighing as hie tried to turn to.wards the - spot" from whence tihe voice proceeded, but could not move. " Yes —yes," said the voice again; and then there was a clink of iron chains, which roused Lawrence to the knowledge thjat he was heavily chained. But he forgot it the next moment, for his fellow prisoner had to crawl to where he was, and laying her cheek, against his end one heavily iron hand across his breast, she sighed heavily and the cheek that was warm but a moment before, grew cold and damp. " Where am I?" she gasped at last.

" With Mm who has brought you to this sad pass," said Lawrence, sadly ; and then her heart beat more strongly for a few moments as he heard the sigh of content that was breathed close to his ear, while the cheek that had rested upon his was raised, and a pair of lips placed where it had lain, to print there passionate kiss after kiss.

" Better to die so," she whispered, " than to live as I have lived with him. Is my lord much hurt ?" " Only bruised," said Lawrence, making an effort. "And you, my child ?"

Alsa gave a little shiver. " Not—not much," she said ; "and I am very happy." " But this is terrible !" gasped Lawrence —" my poor friends ?" " Escaped, I think," said Alsa, sadly. " Escaped !" exclaimed Lawrence, joyfully. " Thank Heaven for that." " And you," said Alsa —" do you not wish to be with them.".

" No," said Lawrence, sadly ; "I am content."

"Content," she " whispered, "to stay and die with me ? Freda—my love —my own !" As he turned to her she pressed her lips to his, and clung to him with all the passionate love that was in her heart, but only to utter a loud sigh once more, and faint away.

Lawrence was so exhausted himself that in the hours that ensued he hardly knew whether he lived, or if it was all a dream. His brain was throbbing with a terrible pain and there was singing in his ears, and a deadly feeling of sickness was upon him.

At last, towards evening, his head began to grow clearer, though a raging thirst tormented him —one so fierce that on the entry of a Hindoo guard he begged him for water. The man gave a brutal laugh, called him a Feringhee dog, and refused to give it ; but, relenting the next moment lie fetched a vessel and held it to the injured man's lips. " Give her some," said Lawrence — " give it her first," and he turned his eyes in the airection of Alsa.

" Drink first yourself, sahib," said the man yielding to the feeling of authority that came over him as he beard the voice of one of those \-7ho bad so long ruled over his people. Lawrence drank eagerly of the cooling fluid, and then saw the man

take it to Alsa, who also drank of it with feverish avidity. " Why did they not kill us ?" said Lawrence, as the man returned. " They wanted to keep you," was the' reply in a low hissing tone. "■ Mala Rao has something to say tc

tbe man who killed his uncle, the Rana, and fled with his wife." "Is Malo Rao, the new Rana ?" as'ied Lawrence, eagerly. The man nodckd. " Will they make her do suttee?" asked Lawrence, in a horrified whisper. " Will they burn her with His-

sar ?" " No," said the man in the same tone. " There are others to perform suttee. The Ranee Alsa is reserved for something else." " What ?" said Lawrence, eagerly. '* Tell me." " Wait," said the man, surlily, " and you will know as soon as you wish.' If I were you," he added, not unkindly—" if I were you—" Then he stopped short. " Well, what ?" asked Lawrence, eagerly.

" I sfoould die at once." Before Lawrence could reply, or recover from ttis surprise at the strange remark, the door was shut, and the place was once more in gloom—the little "bar of light which stole in through the high grating doing little to lessen the gloom below. From the regular breathing of his fellow prisoner, Lawrence could tellnow that she ■ was asleep, evidently from exhaustion, and he lay there wondering what diabolical ingenuity could he put in practice by their enemies for their destruction. That they should be put to death he knew, and all he hoped was that the death should be a short and merciful one; for though willing to meet his end with the calmness and courage of a soldier he could not help a shudder as he lay and recalled the various atrocious acts of torture to which Eastern tyrants had submitted their

prisoners. He did not wish to live, for the life that had seemed so bright and hopeful in the future was now black and gloomy. There was nothing to wish foir. The bright joyous existence which he hki pictured could never have place save for her, and when she knew all, she might perhaps drop a tear to his memory, and think of him as one wbio had been false but to save her life. ' At last, about sunset, there came the noise of the opening door with its Jock and bolt and chains. Alsa woke with a piercing cry but recovered herself instantly. " Are you there, Freda ?" shie said in a low sweet voice, full of sorrowing love and pity for her companion's misfortunes.

"Yes," he replied. " And you—are you in pain ?" " But little," she said, with a weary sigh. Further converse was stayed by the opening of the door and the entrance of soldiery with torches.

There was the noise outside ol many voices, mingled with the trampling of steeds - and the jingling oi harness while again and again the low murmur of many voices rose with a mighty roar. Lawrence was relieved of some ol his chains, and roughly told to rise, while others repeated the commands to Alsa, who staggered on being placed upon her feet ; but finding that she was to walk beside her fel-low-prisoner she passed her chainladen arm through his, and stood up, defiantly and proudly. No time was lost, the two prisoners being marched out and surrounded directly by a large body of armed men, amongst whom, they were led forward amidst the buzzing of the crowd the firing of guns, and the clang of martial instruments which was kept up with increasing power. It • was fast growing dark, but torches were springing Into light on every side,* and as the glare increased Lawrence shuddered as he began to believe that his suspicions were right, and that Alsa would be burned on the Eana's funeral pjre while he would be tortured to death in some awful manner.

Lawrence rgave an involuntary shudder at the thought of his approaching fate, but it was as much for the young and beautiful woman at his side, and he thought that fate had dealt hardly with her throughout, for the young maiden life had been cursed when she Tjecame the slave more than the wife of Hissar.

" Are you afraid, Freda ?" whispered Alsa, as she pressed his hand, walking now with a proudly erect air, and not- turning bjer Mead as she

spoke. " Afraid ! No," she sadd, " but 1 am sorry for you."

"Yes, and I am sorry," she said, earnestly—" sorry "that owr time of love should be so shortened- But do not fear ; the death will not bo sc painful as you fear." His eyes met hers as she spoke, and a faint shudder of joy seemed" tc thrill the young girl's veins—for i*e was but a girl. Then thley walked on side by side down the long allcj of armed men, backed by thousands of dark, gleaming faces, upon -whielthe lurid light of the torches and lamps shone strangely. It was now quite dark, and the stars flashed in myriads overhc-ad, while black, gloomy and foreboding rose up in front the great tower o: the Khan's tomb—a place of ruins r covering nearly an acre of land.

" Alsa," said Lawrence at last, at the armed men. paused, and thost behind closed up, leavting the prisoners to occupy the small-space between them, " what entl have the 3 reserved for us ?" " Do you not know !?" she said, eagerly ; and then she? shuddered slightly. He shook Bis head', " Freda," she said ?ta , a low whisker.—" Freda, they >will bury us a live." CHAPTER XXIL BURIED ALIVE. It needed all Lawrence's .strengtl of nund" to enable Mm to b ear thi a.w*al announcement that g com

panion in misfortune had made, foi there was something in it so terriblj revolting, so crashing that for th( moment his reason rocked and hj« stared wildly at his companion. It was the girl's proud, calm bearing that restored him, and he walked steadily on by her side, thinking how frightful it must be for her—one who had just awakened to new hopes cf life in her love- for him ; and forgetting for the moment his own trouble, he pressed the soft little hand he held, and Alsa responded with a smile.

" It will not be so dreadful," she whispered ; "the gods can be very gentle to those who suffer, so let us hope.". Lawrence glanced round at tht surging ' multitude, whose swarthy faces, with their gleaming opal eyeballs looked almost demoniacal by the light of the torches, apd beneath the lurid smoke that rose from the resinous flambeaux, and hung in a heavy cloud overhead. ! There was not a look of pity or sorrow to be seen —everywhere it was the same sager stare of curiosity ; and the young officer felt. that he and his companion formed for those around merely a goodly show—a display ol which if robbed, the people would rage after and feel that they were cheated.

As at length they halted the prisoners the intention of the Rana was evident ; for close by the old opening into the tomb —a domed structure of no very great size, but built of large blocks of stonestood a group of half-nude native masons, with a heap of cement, and a pile of blocks of stone collected from the loose debris of other similar structures which ' lay around.

There seemed to lie no farther preparations to make, and a chief, who seemed to he a (leader of the soldiery : uttered a hoarse command, which was followed by a rudely barbarous crash of discordant music; tom-toms were' beaten ; a party oi fakeers and priests sang a loud chant and amidst a hoarse murmur of the crowd, four sepoys seized Lawrence, and four Alsa, half-carrying them into the tomb, which, but for its rugged floor, and jn no little wise resembled the prison from which they had been taken.

Resistance was evidently expected, but none was offered ; for, upon being loosened by the sepoys, who leaped rapidly out of the building, Lawrence took a couple of steps and passed one chained hand round his companion's waist. She gave a sigh of pleasure and let her head sink on bis shoulder, as they stood there facing the opening, before which a group of spearmen had now been drawn, presenting ; their weapons three deep in' a steel chevaux de frise ready to force the victims back if they attempted to escape. There was no need, for the prisoners remained calm and motionless, while a dozen native masons rushed forward within the steel hedge, and began rapidly to set with mortar, the stones that were handed to them by their companions.

The entrance was about six feet wide and about five feet high, and so quickly did the masons work that at the end of a few minutes • a wall a couple of feet high had risen and this was strengthened by wedging in heavy pieces of rock and forcing them down by means of crowbars. As the wall rose, amidst the clink of hammer and Tjar, the masons seemed to resemble so many demons working for the victims' death. At the end of an hour the top was reached, all but about such an opening as a couple of stones would fill in the middle ; wedges of rock had been driven in between the broken arch of the tomb and the top of the wall ; cement had been thrown in with lavish, hand —cement that would soon become harder than the stones themselves ; and before many minutes were over, Lawrence knew that the lurid light which shone in at the opening would be blocked out, and they would' be immured in a living tomb, i (To be continued.)