Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-03-04
all turned at sharp angle and ran out
meet the wall Of the Kesidency COM

These he crossed, followed cIvScly ny
the four men and Mrs. Marchmont, and,
passing the men on guard and the two
natives lying asleep. dashed behind the
thick clumpof bushes and began whining
and barking.
And there they found her, lying on the
cold, damp earth, heavy with the night
dcws her pale face more drawn aud
plnched than it had ever been before,
pinned down to the ground by a mass OF
masonry which had been knocked off the
wall during the evening by a rebel shot.
Mrs. Marchmont uttered a cry Of
thsnkfulness and Joy as she fell upon her
knees beside her II want father
quick-Tm so faint" the child easped
ont.
"Ned-quick !" cried the Colonol's
vile.
Father, put your ear close down to
my mouth" she said, eagerly. Do
You see those two natives lying asleep
close TO me ?"
"Yes," he whispered back.
"Never mind me-arrest them at
once-don't lose an instlnt. Never mind
me. l shall do very well till that is
done. / can't get up because some Of
&c wall fell on my leg Be quick,
father, don't lose moment
Thus hidden. the Colonel asked not
another question nor made the delay OF
a moment.
Wilson, Muir" DC said, "have you
vOur revOlyers ready ?
Yes, sir, " they answered.
"Help Inc to arrest these men," he
said, and forthwith stepped round the
bushes and went up 10 the astonished
natives. who were just making an elabo-
rate di.p'ay OF awaking from the deepest
of slumbers.
Put down your arms" he said, pre-
sentinq his revolver full in the face Of
one. Whale tine two younger officers took
charge of the other
The men were so taken Ivy surprise
that they submitted quietly enough, and
were marched of to the Kesdeucy
cellar where they were bound hand and
foot as a precautiOn against their at
tempting TO escape.
THIS done, the three officers went
back to see how Tottie was to be brought
in, but found that Powiss and one Of
the men on guard had managed to get
the mass of masonry lifted off her, and
that Powiss had taken her in his arms
aud was carrying her as quickly as he
could TO the hospital.
"-he tainted dead away when he lift
cd her, " said Mrs Marclmont, who was
holding one of her daring's hands.
els she much hurt?" the Colonel
asked anXiousiy.
"LcI broken, I'm afraid, Colonel, )"
answered Fowls pihiully
md they found that it was so. As
soon as they got her laid upon a cot and
the Doctor gave glance at tue leg he
said ." H'm-broken Good thing it
wasn't foot higher-wonld have smash
ed her knee and" lie made a signili-
cant gesture, by which those around him
realized that he meant amputltIon. They
all knew whet that would have been 10
delicate child Ike Tottic.
Alttr few minutes Tottie opened her
eyes and looked at them. d" want
father she SAID, in very small FAINT
voice.
And I want You to keep very still,
the Doctor answered in perenptory
tones. "And then III manage 10 make
that leg of yours a little more com
for,able.'
"Imu,ttell father first" Totiie cried.
4" Give me something t. let me tell him.
must tel him before it is too late
-. l. i.rnV - o.fl tho
Colonel, and then Tottie began her tale.
81 went out. meaning to cross the
to the hospital" she siid,
" mother had said | might go ont for
little while and get breath OF air. |
was so tired OF being indoors" with
slgh. "Well, Fly persisted in chasing
a big butterfly. and presently he tumbled
into the trench and couIdn't get ont.
scrambled down to help him
out-ior You know what a little
stupid he is when he cant do any
thing he wants-and then, TO my
disgust, he cooily scrambled up on tue
other side. | thought | might as we'll
get up by the lower side as the hi2h one
TO come back, and was walking along on
tire lWrrcade, when just as | got to the
bushes where you found me / heard one
Of those tao natives say to the other:
" Well, | should like 20 nave the killing
os the Colonel myself" l didn't wait
"a minute. | knew that they had not
seen me, and | knew, too, that nobody
N the garrison understood their dialect
50 well as |, because they were both of
the same caste as my old ayah. 80 |
slipped behind the bushes and heard all
their plot. They were to open the west
gate A. soon after midnight as they had
chance, and each was to have fifty rupees
Ior himself tomorrow, aud twenty for
every native taken by the rebels.
" thought the only thing for me to
10 was 10 wait until they were taken off
guard or TIL it was dark, SO | lay down
luder the wall and trusted the bushes to
hiding me. 1T would have been oil
rigct, only n shot hit the top Of the wall
md tipped great limp of it over on
ne 50 couldn't move if | would, and
did not dare call ont, lest they should
DC the only ones to hear me. and should
ut kill IN, as lay there"
- But they were of guard, said the
Co'onel.
eyes; only You see. dear father, my |
eg hurt me good bit. and think | |
must have tainted or something. for | /
lidn't see the guard changed NJ all, and |
he next thing knew WAS that they |
we're lying quite close to me pretending .
o be asleep. and Fly was scratching at .
nv hands and licking my face. And I
hen. after long time, | thought of .
rSlng to get him to bring YOU my ring 4
nd then You came, and that was all
"And what tine was it when the shot F.
truck the wall?" Muir asked eagerly.
1T was not quite dark, answered /
'ottie, simply.
Aud then all at once the child's small /
took Of strength gave way and she .
Tipped off into n dead faint again, on .
,nlchtne DcciOrunceremOniously turned .
hem all out of the room, with the ex-
option Of Mrs. Narchmont and one
tber lady, who Was the Doctors right
and in the hospital.
Colonel, said Muir. "she must have
cen about four hours"
" Yes said the Colonel in a choking