The Storyteller.

Waikato Argus, Volume IV, Issue 249, 19 February 1898, Page 1 (Supplement)

The Storyteller.

“LIEUT- LADY’S-MAID.” At the Simla Service Club there was only one possible subject of conversation —the delightful possibility of movement and action. ‘ Mark my words,’ enthusiastically exclaimed Savage. ‘ Inside a month we’ll all bo hacking away at those black beggars for dear life.” ‘ Or—reasonable possibility—being ourselves hacked by the said ‘black beggars,’” murmured Lieutenant Gregory. A dozen uncomplimentary epithets ready to be hurled at “ Lieutenant Lady’s-Maid ” —as Gregory was derisively nicknamed —were cut short by the hasty appearance of Major Havillard. ‘ News I Good, bravo news ! There’s a wire in. The tribos are rising en masse. We’ve had a licking, and a big force is to be pushed forward at once. We’re all off to the front.” Through the melee of joy-striken men Gregory made his escape. The mad shouts of his delighted comrade struck him internally. I To the front !” The cry pursued him. But his lips formed a single word—“ Winnie !’ ‘ Gregory’s sneaked out with his tail dangling,’ exclaimed somebody presently. ‘ The coward !’ sneered Gallop. I I wonder how he’ll fight 1’ queried Havillard. 1 Fight ! The ‘ Lady’s-Maid ’ fight ! Run, you mean !’ ‘ He’s jolly sweet on the colonel’s daughter,’ thoughtfully remarked Havillard. ‘ He won’t make the running there ! The Colonel knows the fighting weight of Lieutenant Gregory, you bet your spurs.’ Ignorant of their taunts and heedless of all but the fateful order that sent him from Simla and all he loved, Gregory wandered aimlessly along. Habit directed him to the Mall, where a fresh young face, peering from a dainty sunshade, espied his melancholy mien. ‘ Mr Gregory !’ said Miss Winifred. Gregory picked up his eyes from the ground. ‘ You have heard the news T she inquired gaily. ‘That we’re ordered to the front 1 Yes !’ ‘ I’m so glad,’ she added quickly. ‘ Are you V The hollowness of his voice was unmistakeable, To Winnie, watching closely for ‘ effects,’ its palpability was distressing. ‘ I—l thought you would be beside yourself with joy at the prospect of active service,’ she said with thoughtful hesitation, ‘ That way lies promotion, you know. Though that’s an awfully worldly view to take of the horrors of battle, isn’ it T His thoughts were preoccupied. Winnie was unaffectedly glad that he was going away. The possible consequences did not trouble her. If he fell—she might sigh. If he returned—she would marry some, other fellow. ‘Good-bye, Mr Gregory,’ said Winnie, rousing him from his unhappy reverie. ‘ And —good luck ! I see your brother officers coming. How elated they are ! Good-bye !’ ‘ How elated they are !’ Gregory emphasised the pronoun and fled, ignorant of the whirlwind of doubt be had created in the mind of the girl he loved. ‘ Miss Winifred !’ The group of soldiers met her. ‘Wo crave your blessing. No ; don’t say you have exhausted you good wishes on our friend Gregory.’ * I hope you cheered him up, Miss Winifred,’ said Courtenay, ‘He looked awfully down in the mouth at the idea of .’ He was about to say ‘ of leaving Simla,’ but substituted awkwardly ‘ of a bit of field work.’ The colour rose to Winnie’s cheeks. ‘ Major Havillard,’ she said ‘ there is a silly rumour afloat that when Mr Gregory was in the 32nd a nigger one night struck him in the face and Mr Gregory didn’t report the nigger because he was afraid of the fellow’s threats.” She spoke rapidly, heatedly. ‘ I want you to explain how such an absurd rumour gained even momentary credence,’ Havillard “ wished himself to the deuce.’ ‘ We got it from the fellows in the 32nd,’ he replied sulkily. ‘ And you believe it?’ 1 He exchanged, didn’t he?’ testily added Havillard. 1 There’s no secret about it. He couldn’t have lived in the old regiment after that Gregory relied on the fact that it happ;n?d at night, and there were only those two in the know. But there was another nigger about—and he’d got a tongue.’ ‘Gentlemen,’ said Winnie, ‘ if I were you before supporting such an impossible rumour about a brother officer I would take pains to verify it. ‘ Then he couldn’t live with us !’ blurted Havillard. ‘ It’s only by giving him the benefit of the doubt ’ ‘lt isn’t manly!’ Winnie’s face was crimson. ‘Either convict him with positive proof or prove his innocence. His present position must be little less than torture. I’m surprised—indeed I am,’ IL The light of day was suddenly switched off and thero was dark-

ness. Gregory’s inexperience received a rude shock. He had been reconnoitring with a small body of natives for some hours, and should have been back in camp ere the night began to fall. Wrapped close in his desire to do something or learn something of material advantage before returning to headquarters (it was his first individual responsibility since arriving at the front), time had slipped by unknowingly. Suddenly in the high distance a flame shot upwards, and by its blue light there flashed a signal for help. Gregory’s pulses began to leap. Hughes, of the 22nd (his old regiment), with seven natives, had been missing for three days. Could that bo Hughes’s signal ? Fired with the ardour of rescue, Gregory gave the word and was soon dashing across country in the direction of that momentary burst of fire. The darkness, from being profound, grew thin to accustomed eyes. Scaling a hill in time to see the appealing light flash forth a second signal the little band of soldiers gathered fresh energy, and with the abandoned dash of inexperience, Gregory led the way. Down into the broad valley they ran helter-skelter, avoiding the rocky projections with a new dexterity, leaping the stunted bushes with the ease of new-born excitement. But the following ascent gave check even to the alert Englishman. The hill was steep, almost it appeared unscaleable. The pace slackened from a run to a canter, from a wary quick-step to a breathless scramble over loose stones and overhanging boulders. But the leader’s backbone stiffened with determination, and the men caught the resolute fever. Above, in slowly increasing nearness, human lives breathlessly awaited their succour, and ‘Was that a movement? Did anyone hear ?’ A bayonet sprang silently out of the darkness. Another and another ! They gleaned in every quarter, and they were closing round. ‘Look out! We shall have to rush it ! Forward !’’ Clearing his own immediate path with a sweep, Gregory leapt up the hill. His ringing words had found echo from the beleaguered fort above. Words of encouragement hailed down the slope—British words from a British throat. ‘ Come on ! Rush for it! Hurrah !” But it could nob be all rushing. Fresh foes sprang from the ground at every step. Bayonets gleamed in ever-increasing numbers, and, forgetting their previous caution, rifles began to yap. Only the friendly darkness gave frail possibility of exit from that death-trap ‘Straight for the gate !’ shouted anxious Hughes from above. ‘Don’t givo in ! Your only chance is forward !” The gate of the compound was visible. It opened now and again to admit a lucky applicant. Each time it closed again despair gripped Gregory’s heart, And he was conscious that he was the prize of his party. His men slipped through—a few lying still on the hillside excepted—and he was alone with the enemy. Wiping a warm trickle from his forehead he stood at bay. Ho was not prepared to die alone. But he found time to think of Simla and the Mall. ‘ Winnie !’ He whispered the word aloud. A long, little figure dashed out of the gate. With a fearful yell he dashed forward, bayonet fixed. For a moment his path cleared ; then the enemy turned upon him. ‘ Run, sahib !’ cried the Sikh ; and Gregory recognised the voice of the sentinel who had struck him, Gregory ran—straight at the man who had come to wash out his disgrace in his life’s blood. Flinging his revolver full in the face of his nearest adversary, with a bound and a cry he leapt through the forest of converging bayonets, caught the Sikh in his arms, and reeled to the gate. ‘Open! For Heaven’s sake—!’ And then he swooned. 11l ‘ Havillard,” said the Colonel, “ Gregory hasn’t come in. I’m afraid something’s gone wrong with the boy. Hullo ! Did you see that T ‘ A flash of light ! A signal !’ exclaimed Savage, ‘ There’s firing on the hill yonder. I understood that fort was deserted.’ ‘lt was. Hughes is missing,’ suggested Havillard. ‘He may have shut himself up there.’ ‘ It’s your job, Havillard,’ said the Colonel. ‘ Waste no time !’ Thus it was that, two hours after Gregory had fought his way into the rickety fort, Major Havillard and a company of the 47th surprised the enemy in the act of storming the fort under cover of the darkness. The encounter occupied but a few minutes. A few shots, a bayonet rush, and the enemy scattered into the recessess of a neighbouring pass, and Havillard gripped hands with Hughes of the 32nd. ‘ I suppose you have heard nothing of the ‘ Lady’s-Maid ’ —l mean Gregory of Ours ?’ ‘ Got him in here, aad a pretty object he looks, too. If it hadn’t been for the splendid pluck of one

of my Sikhs " And Hughes detailed, the circumstances of Gregory's arrival, not forgetting a tribute to that officer's pluck. ( As to the Sikh, poor wretch,' added Hughes, ' he's done for. He sent me just now to Gregory—since they can neither he moved praying that a certain vow might be annulled. Gregory, after long thought—goodness knows what plot there is between them —gave the requisite release ; so come along, Havillard, and bear witness to the revelation.

The Sikh was breathing quickly, fighting each fleeting moment., when the two men approached.

1 Sahib V he murmured

•I'm here. Lieutenant Gregory you can say whatever you like.' The man drew a long breath, then spoke quickly in his native tongue. ' Once—l forget how long ago—l struck the lieutenant-sahib in the face. The sahib raised his hand to stlike me in return. I was frightened—not at the blow, but at the fearful thing I had done in a moment of madness. But the sahib did not strike. The Colonel will see to this,' he said, and turned away, But I fell on my knees and held him by the legs ; and while I grovelled in the dirt I wept, and begged him to draw his sword and tun me through the body rather than bring me to such disgrace. The sahib listened—Mahomet save his sonl ! To my surprise, instead of running me through with his sword, he said : ' There is the making of a soldier in you. Swear, by your Prophet, never to speak of what has happened to any mortal person,' Then he forgave me for my wickedness. Sahibs, lam dying, Tell what I have told to the other sahibs.' The man'3 work was done. He rolled over and died, When Havillard, in due course, made his report to the Colonel, and repeated, almost verbatim, the Sikh's dying words, he was surprised that his chief turned upon him in anger. ' So you were one of those who credited that stupid rumour about Gregory ¥ growled the Colonel. 1 Do you think, if I had not been as you or I that I'd have allowed him to V

The Colonel abruptly changed the subject, but Havillard smiled knowingly. When, on their return to peace and civilisation, it was annouced that Winnie was engaged to Captain Gregory, Havillard adopted a wise superiority.

' Didn't you know,' he inquired with raised brows, 'didn'tyou know that the Colonel approved of the match long before the war ?'—Casscll's Saturday Journal.