Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-12-10
LACKS HEROINE.
A Taie OF the Indian mutIny.
I,atiy,s Journal.

/
t the girl, with a scowl, did as sh
c was hidden, Miss Gray watchin
her the while.
"Now go to bed,'' she directed.
Then Nellie saw that all the wir
dows were firmly clasped, and lock
. ed the door in the same way as sh
had locked the others.
Next she went up to the boudoiI
where she thought the ladies nigh
be; but it was quiet. She locke,
the door by which she had entered
and entered Mrs. Gray's bedroom
by the other.
That good lady was seated il
front of her glass, having her hai
combed by Parker, her maid, anC
looked up with a smile as Nellie en-
/ tered.
i Nellie felt more afraid of wha
she had to do now than of any O
the rest of the work for she knew
what Il nervous woman her aunt
was.
"Aunt, dear" she began, calmly,
something very unpleasant has nap.
pened," and then stopped.
"Good gracious ~ cried the elder
lady, jumping up. There's moth
ing the matter with Thomas is
there ?"
mo, nothing, / assure you 70
quickly replied the other. s'It is
about ourselves. The Sepoys are up
in the neighborhood, and it is adVf-
sable for US to get into the barracks
at once. There is no real danger,
dear; but it is always best to be on
the safe side.''
'Oh, by all means, darling!n said
Mrs. Gray. But you neen't have
| frightened me SO much. Cau-
ton, of course, is wise; and we had
better go off the first thing in the
morning.
letter which Nellie had held out the
moment she came in, and now was
reading it.
"No, auntie," cried her neice !;
"We must be off at once! The dam
ger is more pressing than that. Cap
tain Waring came back to warn us;
and he told me-"
"Good Heaven ~ exclaimed the
Colonel's wife. "Listen to thisn-
and she read aloud.
"DEAR WIFE: Having received
news that a rising is meditated in
your neighborhood, cannot return
myself at once, but should feel hap
pier if you got into the Fort imme-
diately. Love to every one. In
haste, yours, TOM"
"P. 81 don't think much of it
but better err on the safe side"
kSWnIl ~ cain NnfIin kkthof
firms my opinion! We had better
start at once. Now, Parker, be
be quick and dress your mistress
while / go and warn Miss Pella :"
and, without waiting to listen to
the torrent of questions that the two
women poured out, she ran off to
her friends bedroom and awoke
her.
A like explanation was gone
through with her; and when this
was completed Nellie went to
change her own clothes and put on
riding habit.
"There is only room for three in
the gig." she thought. ST will ride
Bluebell."
Naturally quick, she was soon
dressed, and then went back into
the b0udOir, unlocked the further
door, and rang the bell.
No notice was taken of the sum-
mons and a second and third be-
ing Intellectual, she went down her.
self to see what was the matter.
There was nothing but chill 81
lence through the whole house. A
brave woman was Nellie, but her
heart beat fast as she stood in the
deserted kitchen and looked
around.
Oh, how silly she was! OF course
the servants had all gone to bed and |
left the servant girl she had seen to
put out the lights. She would go to |
the stable herself.
The kitchen door was unlocked,
and SO was the scullery door. AS
she stood in the passage she could
see light twinkling in the coach
house. No doubt Aladeen was get
ting the gig ready. Holding up
her habit, she crept quietly to the
window and looked in. There
were two men talking inside, but,
as she did not understand Hindoo-
stance, she could not make out
what they were saying. One was
and the other a dark,
ruffian whom she had new
ar seen before.
Suddenly they both stopped con-
versing, and the stranger opened
he door and came cut, almost
against her as she covered
n the corner behind it. He went r
IN down the passage and disap-
1eared.
For a moment she stood in blind
error; then plucking up courage
he walked out from behind the
loor and faced Aladeen.
He was sharpening knife on an
I'D razor strap, and looked up with
guilty start as he saw her.
"Aladeen, is the gig ready 2"
He recovered himself as bespoke,
nd went on insolently with his
work..
"No."
"You will get it ready ?n
"No."
Without moments hesitation
he turned away and walked back
irmly into the house. She would
% up into her uncle's "den"-a !
mall smoking room. She knew it !
veil, and knew that a small lady's
evolver was kept over the mantel-
iece. 1t was toy of the Colonel's.
lie had bought it for Mrs. Gray
ut that lady had never touched it,
nd it had hung up with many
ther weapons in the smoking {
Oom.
On her way Nellie searched in a
cupboard in the kitchen and found {
candle, which she lit, and then 9
uickly and ninbly ran up thestairs {
} the den" a
Yes, there the revolver hung; on |
depended the lives of all of them. !
he took it down almost tenderly |
nd blessed the day-long ago I
7hen her brother sported saloon a
nd made her practice with a pis- =
)l. l.
The weapon worked perfectly. !
tut where were the cartridges. I
Happy inspiration she remem- !
nat a few had been used by the
olonel and Capt. Waring one sum- 2
Ter evening as they sat iD the ver-
uda, shooting at the great lizards 9
"A the wall. The cartridges were 2
] tin box. Was it on the shelf.
Her heart sank when she found
he box was not there. What was
} be done? Every second was pre-
Gus. Suppose the insurgent Sc 8
Oys grew impatient and did not b
ait for the lights to be put out I? n
he ran nm wildly info the CoIenel,s o