THE BLUE DRAGOONS.

King Country Chronicle, Volume IX, Issue 745, 13 February 1915, Page 6

THE BLUE DRAGOONS.

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AN IPIOIAIM SOLDIER STORY, BY GEORGE MANVILLE FENN, PART .7. If this piece, an eighteen-pounder had been loaded with grape, and had been fired, it would have swept thr street of every dragoon, now galloping forward, and it almost seemed as if that was to he their fate ; for thf native artillerymen loaded now with rapiditj, the piece was primed, and the gunner with his linstock was advancing through the crowd. " On, my lads, on !" cried the colonel, driving his spars into • his horse's flanks ; and it was a mattei of yards now. Every dragoon answered the call, but the colonel was far ahead in the race, and it was well that it was so. The sepoys and sowars now in a dense crowd, stood firm shouting tc ths gunners as the dragoons raced on. The men were just withdrawing the rammer, and the man, with the burning linstock was just about to apply it to his 'touch-hole, whten Colonel Bruce rode right at him, his horse made a tremendous bound, clearing the gun, and, as he did so, a cut from the colonel's sabre divided the grnner's arm just below the elbrfw. The linstock dropped to the ground, and almost instantaneously Melton and a sergeant reached the throng, followed by the rest of the troop. The shock was tremendous, and the dragoons' sabres flashed like lightning round the mutineers' heads, as cut and point were given with inconceivable rapidity. There was the trampling of hoofs mingled with the sturdy English hurrah. Yells from the wounded, the rush of feet, and then, almost before they knew it, the dragoons were beyond the flying mob most of whom had taken refuge in side streets, not one making a stand after the gunner had failed in firing the piece.

" How many aro down ?" panted the colonel, drawing rein for a moment, but not to stay ; for the shots were now pattering after him fast. "Not one !" cried Melton ; and they cantered on, saving a few tears and scratches, not a man being injured.

They had not far to go now, and the Sepoys who clustered here and there at corners to fire at them, melted away rapidly as the dragoons dashed on and finally entered the gate, amid cheers from their 1-reth-ren.

The rest of the day was spent in making arrangements for starting, though for fear of any native spies who might be amongst them, not a word was said about their destination.

But in spite of all this care, two or three white-robed figures managed to elude the vigilance of the sentinels and long before the hour appointed for starting the news had been borne to the enemy that the sabihs were preparing to leave the Residency'. The effect was that a large body of men was collected on the Delhi road, and another took up their position in the. streets which commanded the route to the infantry barracks, the mutineers having a suspicion that the two British regiments would try to make a coalition. Long before this, though, the young ensign had been armed with his instructions to the colonel in command of the infantry, and twice over he would have started, but foi the careful manner in which the gates were watched.

" If I could only get down to the river," he said, " I could swim unobserved to the barracks, which are close to the water's edge." " But," said Melton,. " you would only be exposing yourself to the enemy's fire. They could easily pick you off as you swam." " I have it," said the young man, at last. " The canal in the garden here runs down to thfe Rannoor. Oomc with me."

Tho canal, as he called it, was bui a mere irrigation ditch which ran under the wall of the Residency and then into the swift river Rannoor. and on their way to this, the ensign, who looked more like a native of the place than an Englisnman, obtained a large, thin, earthen chatty or pot. in the bottom of which he knocked a hole for breathing purposes, and ther placing this over his head, he stepped into the muddy creek and began to wade down it, the water being sc deep that by a little stooping h< was able to give the pot the semblance of floating down the stream.' In this way he passed beneath the wall and along two hundred yards 01 so of water before he reached the river, where he was clever enough swimmer to hold his own. Melton mounted to the Residencj roof, with a glass, and in a short time made out ■ the garthen jar floating harmlessly along the stream, unnoticed by a soul, till it passed oul of his Sight, and hie came down ; muttering a prayer for the young man's success.

The preparations went on actively though so great was the panic thai for the most part the fugitives would have started instantly and withoul anything more than they stood in. But the colonel was too eager tc do the best for all to allow this anc his preparations were many. Dboolies were provided for the wounded. Melton seeing his friend carefullj laid in one. Jampans were got together for the ladies and children as far as possible. The governor's carriages were placed at the disposal ol the weakest people, and the civilians were all armed as well as was possible, though they made but a feebl< show. The grindstones of the armourei were kept pretty busy, too, in giving

a keen edge to the dragoons' blades; then ammunition was served out, the baggage of the regiment was drawr up in the compound, and at last all was declared ready for the march. It was no light feat to get the weaker part well together, but they were placed in the midst of a strong escort of deagoons. There were detachments about the middle of the line, but, of course, the strength oi the regiment was in the front and rear. The dangerous part was the risk oi attack from the side, for, of course, during a march through the narrow streets of a town flankers could not be thrown out. The colonel wisely ordered the whole of his mounted men —with the exception of half a troop, rear and front, who were ready to charge, and who rode with drawn swords —tc ■■ Iry their carbines, the dismounted men riding on wagons, similarly armed, and ready to reply to' any firing that might take place from the houses at the sides. At. last the word was given, the front troop being under the command of Captain Melton. The advance guard rode lightly out, and was formed of men who had been to the magazine that morning. Then the head of the column followed, the arms of the men glitterng in the afternoon sun, and all being as bright as on parade. The moment that the column was well on the move, with an evenness that was remarkable, and the Hindoos, who clustered about and lurked in the entrance to the various streets saw that the Residency was to be evacuated, they set up a tremendous yell of defiance., and a threatening movement began on either side ; but so well were the colonel's measures taken that, as the column moved on, pickets of cavalry kept stopping at thte side streets-, showing so bold a front that the enemy, after a few random shots ran on to the attack at' other streets, where, however, they arrived to find the cavalry pickets again taking their posts while the columns of civilians and baggage filed rapidly on. As the column went on, the dragoons, who had guarded the side streets cantered on again in single file to fill up gaps in the front and in seeing to this duty Melton was so busily occupied that he could not look to the wounded men in the dhoolies> carefully carried by their bearers, nor yet guard the jampari in which the sisters were borne.

A few shots were fired, and a smart reply was given by the dragoons, who by two or three brisk charges, cleared the streets either in front or at the sides where the enemy became too demonstrative. The idea of tbe enemy was that the column intended to make for the Dehli Gate ; and to cross this it would have to cross the sqaiare where the elephant adventare took place. Here, then, they gathered, quite a couple of thousand strong; but instead of seeing .the column defile into the square, where it would have been at their mercy, to be helplessly shot down 1 from the surrounding houses, they were suddenly startled by the tramp of feet and the infantry began to file into the square, formed up, fixed bayonets, delivered a withering fiisilade, and then, charging, drove the mutineers helter-skelter from the plaee. Meanwhile, turning off sharply to thie left, the column from the Residency reached the gate of the magazine, where, true to his word, the sergeant had & nine-pounder in position ready to sweep the street. The deagoons formed up right and left, facing outwards, and the long procession of baggage and trembling women and children filed in through the gate, litter after litter, waggon, cart, and carriage ; while Melton who was stationed scanned each carefully. He saw the governor's dhooly pass and that containing his friend, closely followed by Jackson. Then the jampan containing the sisters should have passed ; but it did not arrive yet, and het watched on, expected it had by some means been displaced in the march. At last came the rear, guard of dragoons closing the column, and a sensation of horror ran through Captain Melton's; breast. The litter containing the sisters was missing. CHAPTER V. For a few moments as he sat there on his chlarger, with the rear guard just passing by him into the magazine gates, and the natives now gathering menacingly round, Captain Melton felt as if all hope was over, and those who had been saved, were as nothing. Then, nerving himself he set spur? to his .horse, and, regardless of the angry shouts and the fall of a few bullets, recalled the rear guard tc question them. No, thtey had seen no palkee borne away. As far as they knew, thej had swept the last of the fugitives before them. " They may have been caught uj at one of the side streets, sir, anc carried away," said a sergeant. " True," said Melton, gloomily ; and then to himself, "Mad fool thai I was, not to watch over them ! What will poor Fred say ?" It was also what was his owr heart saying by way of reproach, foi now the thought of the weak, gentlt girls being in the hands of the mutineers, perhaps of the chief Bala himself, was growing unbearable. The sergeant's suggestion was undoubtedly the right one. A parts of the watchful enemy had evidently plunged down upon one of the weak, unguarded parts of the long army, and borne ofl the palkee containing the Governor's daughters. " But I placed men at every opening—at every side street !" exclaimed Melton angrily. " Nearly every street sir," said the sergeant saluting ; " but there were

• courts here and there, sir, bad as Drury Lane ones, where nc horses could go." I Melton paused for an instant wish- j ing to consult one of his superiors ; but they were too far in advance now in the magazine and not a moment was to be lost. " How many men have you there, sergeant ?" he cried, settling himsell in his saddle, and tightening his rasp of his sword. " Ten, sir." " Call hack ten more," said the captain ; and as the little infantry *uard stood ready bj the nineoornder pointing menacingly at the athering crowd of lowering faces, ten more of the light dragoons, rodf boldly back through the gateway, and formed up in the face of the fierce military mob. " Form fours —forward !" cried Mellon ; and, to the astonishment ol the mutineers, the little hand ol twenty men, with flashing sabres, ode steadily on to meet them, as il it were but a parade and the scowl'p~ Hindoos only so many spectators. The mutineers could hardly believe it. Those who had been firing stayid, and those who had clustered into the street through the sideways remained blocking it up and gazing it the little band ; but as they awoke to the fact that the dragoons meant tc retrace their steps, they suddenly became disordered, and instead of tataing the slightest step towards arresting the progress of the handful of men, they broke up with loud cries, and fled trampling one over the other into t'ae houses, at whose windows and upon whose roofs they began now to swarm with their lo'jg matchlocks and muskets, to hat tie at every opening. Meanwhile the dragoons rode steadily on at a trot, beaded by Melton, keeping a careful look-out right and left at every street opening they passed, for some signs of the missing ladies —though, with a feeling of despair at his heart, he told himself it was a hopeless task. They had gone about half the distance back with the Hindoos and Mussulmans melting away before the sahibs at every step, when Melton halted his men.

" They were safe as far as h/ere, sergeant, for I saw their palkee pass this large building. It must have been nearer the magazine they were missed.''

The men were faced round, and the mob that had hovered menacingly on their rear began once more to melt away, .as the dragoons slowly rode back, Melton intending now to search the side streets.

Suddenly it occurred to him that some kind of an attack might have been made upon the bearers, and that they might have fled back to the Residency. He was about to turn his men back and gallop to the governor's house, to see if those he sought had taken refuge there, when there arose a shouting in front of him, and a man was seen struggling in the midst of the armed mob with a dozen tulwars, upraised to cut him down. "Held, sahib, help !" shouted the poor wretch, holding out his hands to the dragoons ; and in spite of his dark face and the knowledge of what his companions had done, the Englishmen could not sit idly by and see an unarmed man slaughtered before their face.

Melton turned to his sergeant, and with one impulse they pressed their horses' sides, plugged into the crowd cut right and left, and in a minute's time had distanced the crowd and returned to their men, with the bleeding Hindoo clinging to the mane of the captain's horse. " I try to get to the sahib," panted the man, " but they cut me down." " Why do you come to me?" said Melton, sternly. '* I one of mem sahib's bearers. I help carry Miss Leslie, Miss—" " What !" roared Melton, catching the man by the arm. " They Game down, sahib, and cut us off, and take the mem sahibs away." " Who ? Who did ?" roared Melton. " Bala< Hissar's sowars, sahib," said the man faintly—for he was badly wounded ; and in spite of the danger and the menacing faces scowling not m»rvy yards away, Melton tore a handkerchief from his breast and proceeded to staunch the man's wounds. Everything, ■ depended upon this man's words. He would know where and how the seizure was made—the direction taken ; for to Melton every word he could utter would be better than beaten gold ; and now the poor fellow lay gasping, with eyes halfclosed, and what seemed to be the death-sweat breaking out upon his forehead. " Quick—a canteen here," cried Melton, and a man dismounted and held his tin of spirit-an'd-water to the Hindoo's lips. " Keep those blackguards back!" shouted the sergeant as the crowd began to range around them once more. But at a demonstration from the. dragoons who seemed about to charge, the armed mob retired hastily again ; for though made up of drilled and disciplined men the bonds of order were broken, and the co-operation which under their officers had made them so strong, was wanting. Every man thought and acted for himself, and the mass ol men who clustered round, hungering to hack the sahibs to pieces, was inadherent as the sand upon the sea/ shore. |To be Continued.