The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1889-04-05

All to no purpose.
''If you love me, Jack" she said, surely
you would not have me handed over to the
tender mercies Of wretches such as thosep
And with her little cutting whip she indi'
Gated the two native grooms.
Her kiss was burning on my lips, but was
not the man to desert my colors in the hour /
Of danger under the excuse Of an intrigue.
l said 10 her;
IT'S n bad business, Rosa it seems to me he
ought to put you In safety, somehow or an
other"
Jack" she said, with a savage determine
ton, "I1l give him chance He can ave J
me tonight, If he Will 1t is only four |
hours ride, after all. But promise me one F,
thing Jack; if he should refuse, you will |
save me You can be back before dawn, to
be butchered here with him, since you pre-
fer it.
/ shook my head
"Do you refuse me tillf' she cried. "Then,
by heavens" she screamed, as she shook her
little fist at the blue sky, 'I'n go by myself,
for you are both of you towards, you would
he paladnsrn
I did not answer her, but woman like she
pestered me into making her a promise. j
agreed that her horse and the colonels should
be brought round, as If for moonlight
ride, after dinner. Then, and not till then,
did her tears, her piteous tears, cease to flow.
Forgive me. dear old jack she said; "a
knew you would save me after ALL"
All mel did save her, but at what pricel
Dinner was over, and we stood in the com
pound outside the mess room, the major, his
wife and |. Some sort of attempt at floral
ornament had been made in the so called gar
den by a few rows of stramonium plants,
whose large white flowers, which open only
at night, gave their heavy perfume to the
tepid air. We smoked our "Trichys,n better
ones than they gave us here said Fowler,
with a sigh Then there was a horrid scene
between the pair. She implored him on her
knees, in the dust, as u woman might plead
with an executioner for her wretched life
but she did not move the major.
my dear" he said grimly, ''you didn't
marry me for my good looks; you married
me, Rosa for my position. My position, my
dear, has its duties and one of them is TO
take my chance of death in this hole. My
wife has thrown in her lot with me. | take
It that that's so, FowlerY' said the major,
turning to me.
Il could run across with her, if you liked,
you know, as far as Murghab; it's only
twenty five miles, and the roads are good"
Now, at Murghab was large cantonment
English families, ladies and children and
what was more important, an English regi
ment and some guns.
Fowler said the major, 81 can trust
You, my boy, but can't trust her; she'll
have 10 stay and take her chance with the
old man, after ALL"
| saw that there was no use arguing with
him There was only one chance-to try and
shame him into it, l left the pair, she plead
ing and entreating, but the man wss not to
be moved.
From the regimental lines came the sounds
of music and song, but the men were less
noisy than usual and, to my mind, that
boded mischief,
had made her promise l suppose II
was her only chance of escape If the major
choose to take her out again, and she bolted
to Murghab, so much the better for her, and
it could do him no harm; for at the pass we
were, scandal, even the scandal of an Indian
station, was dead. OF course he couldn't
. leave, but he might easily have sent her oil
with sergeant's guard; he could do it thi:
very night even, If he chose. Bnt he didn't
| To my mind he knew that things had comt
to crisis, and | felt that he had treatet
me badly in not taking me into his confidence
| But why should he have done SOL Perhaps
| he looked on me as his wifes lover; so was
| in one sense. Perhaps he thought he wa
revenging himself on us both in booming u
to certain and horrid death; SO ponderet
as entered the mess tent Not servant il
the place
Perhaps was too late, after all. ran ou
of the mess tent; as did SO, ! came upol
my own syce-a little old man, who had beei
with me since my griffin days. He hai
nothing to do with the regiment, and / coul
trust him, for he had been my confdant Il
many a stable secret, my trainer for many al
l.,l
me, and he would not, felt, hetray me now
"Mortazza," said l, saddle my horse an
the Mem Sahb's, and bring them round t
the front of the mess tent at once. RUM
said, as the man hesitated.
He disappeared without word
As l returned through the mess tent / fel
that mischief was brewing, The songs in til
lines had ceased, and ! heard portentot
hum of confused voices. There was no dout
about the matter, But my rage against til
men, whom felt In few minutes would |
III open mutiny, was as nothing to my indil
nation againt the major for deliberately sa
rifcing his wife and not taking me into h
confidence.
Major" l cried as | joined the pai
"there's something serious on foot; there
not n soul in the mess tent"
He calmly looked at his watch and smile,
AS ne ulu 50 INC sOullu VI HOO
fell opon our ears, and Mortazza, riding II
horse and leading Mrs. Cross Gulf Ara
suddenly appeared
I.ig as bird, Rosa sprang into the sa
die At that moment the report Of sing
nlusket rang in our ears, and shouts and erie
with the noise OF struggle, were heal
from tho lines
Take my horse, major" cried, as urg
him to mount
We were both armed. drew my revt
yer, and forced it into Rosa's hand.
Ride" | said, 81 will take their attentio
of, Get her away, Gross"
But the major never mounted.
my place IS here " he said, as he loosen'
MS sword in its scabbard. His hand new
left her bride rein,
A confused mass OF armed men made the
appearance, shreking and shouting, in t
, lighted circle on the further side of the mt
| tent.
Save me, Jackln cried the majors wi
as she gave her horse the spur, The amin
4 plunged frantcally, but the major held b
! fast
r Mount, you fool" cried, in my rage a
Q excitement.
t With his disengaged hand the major stru
me in the mouth
l. As | received the blow heard the
l port of weapon and | saw the ma
o fall; saw that the bullet had struck him
a the forehead; l saw him fall like u sto
finging up his arms as he did so, and $
!. that he was dead.
u To snatch the revolver from the maj
Il belt, and TO mount and follow Rosa's hol
It which was still wildly plunging, but edg
a off from the infuriated mob, which had n
+ reached the mess tent, was the work of
n instant
keep onl" shouted TO my ampaplen
lv We got beyond the immediate circle of lig
"a We went straight for the road, and Rosa
"A tered not sound. There was hope TO
IA yet; we might get clear off in the darkn
My duty was pleln-to save the helI
ar woman at my side. A few yards brought
n, to the road. On we went at headlong sp
but the Mussulman devils had ared the I
No tent In an instant the great dry tent
al one sheet OF flame; it lighted up the W
n. road, on which we We're galloping for
,a' life. The sound of musket shots rang
"a the brutes were evidently potting at
,er "Stoopln cried to my companion, but
Iss late. A duh thud told me she was hit.
vii gave me one look of agony, a look that
or haunt me to my dying day
But We tore pm, and q IeW seconds I
al | brought us out of the light OF the still