The Somerset reporter., 1889-03-28

Il cir heavy perfume 10 the tepid al.
We smoked our "Friehy- better pner
than they give US here aid Fowler with
a sighl Then there Wa a horrid seem
between the pair. She ilnplprel him on
her knees, in the dust, a i woman might
plead with an executiouer for her wretch
ed life; but she did not mbNc the majprs
MY dear he said grmly, YOU didn't
marry me for my good looks; You mar
rlrd me, Rose, for my position. NV DO
,liun, my dear. has its dute~ anl one
of them j. to take my chance Of death ia
this hole My wife ia, thrown In hrr
lot with me. take ii that ihat 80
Fowler" said the major, turning h ne.
II could run acro-, with her. if Won
liked, you know, a. far a. Murght1, i IS
only twenty five miles, aud the f5a5- ar
good.
Now, at Murghab was large etn''H-
ment-Englioh families ladies AM chi
dren aud what was m9fe Important, N
English regiment and ,ome guns.
Fowler, said the major, Il can trust
you, my boy, but cant trust TIER; she Il
have to stay and take her chances with
the old man after all.
saw there was no use arguins with
him. There was only ohe chance; To Try
and shame him into it. left tn pair,
she pleading and entreating, but thu man
was not to be moved
From the regimental lines came the
sounds of music and song, but TIE men
were less noisy than usual, and, TO my
mind that bodied mischief.
| had made her promise | suppose
ii was her only chance of escape. IL the
major chose to take her out again. ana
she bolted to Murghab, so much the bet
ter for her, and 1t could do him no harm
for AT the pass we were, scandal even the
scandal of an Indian -tatlon, WAS deau.
OF course he couldn't leave, but he Hl4ht
easily have sent her of with "a sergeant :
guard; he could do it tAis very nlght
even, if he chose But he didn't. To
my mind he knew that things had come
to a crisis, and felt that lie had treated
me badly in not taking me into his coma.
dence. But why should he have done so:
Perhaps he looked on me "a his wife :
lover; SO was, in one sense. Perhaps
he thought that he was revengin@ hun
self on Us both in looming Us to certain
and horrid death; SO pondered a. en-
tered the mess tent. Not a servant IN
the place
Perhaps was too late after all. ran
upon my own syce- little old man, who
bad been with me since my griffin days
He had nothing to do With the regiment,
and could trust him, for he had been my
trainer for many an up country race; the
man had never yet sold me, ana he would
not, | felt bctray me now
"Mortazza," said |, saddle my horse
and the Mem Sahib's, and bring them
round to the front of the mess tent at
once. Run :" said, as the man hesitated.
He disappeared without a word.
As returned through the mess tent |
felt that mischief was brewing. Tine
song in The lines had ceased, and heard
portentous hum of confused voices
There was no doubt about the matter.
But my rage against the men, whom |
felt in IA few minutes would be in open
mutiny, was H. nothing to my lgnation
against the maj for deliberately sacri-
cling his wife and not taking me into his
confidence.
major" cried as joined the pair,
"there's something serious on loot :
there's not Il soul in the mess tent,
He calmly looked at his watch, ana
smiled. As be did so the sound OF can
teriug hoofs fell upon our ears, and Nor
taxa, riding my horse and leading Mrs
Cross Gulf Arab, suddenly appeared.
Light as IA bird, Rosa sprang to the sad
die. At that moment the report of Il SIN
gle mu>ket rang in our ears, and shouts
and cries, with the noise of struggle,
were heard from the lines.
Take my horse, major" | cried, as |
urged him to mount.
We were both armed drew my re-
volver, and forced it into Rosa's hand.
Ride" said Il will take their atten-
ton OF. Get her away, Cross.
Blu, the ma or never mounted.
M place is here" he said, n he loos-
ened his sword in its scahbard. His hand
never left her bride rein.
A confused mass of armed men made
their appearance, shrieking and shouting,
in the lighted circle on the further side
of the mess tent.
Save me Jack" cried the majors
wife, as She gave her horse spur HE
animal plunged franticaliy but the major
held him fast
Mount you fool cried, in my rage
and excitement.
With his diseneagcd hand the major
struck me in the mouth
As received the blow | heard the re-
port of weapon, and | saw the major
fall saw that the bullet had struck HIM
in the forehead; saw him fall like n
stone, liinging up his arms As he did So,
and | saw that lie was dead.
TO snatch the revolver from the ma
IRIS belt, and to mount aud follow Rosa :
horse, which was still wildly plunSing,
but cd.ng of from the Infatuated mob,
which had now reached the mess tent,
was the work of an instant
Keep on | shouted to INV companion,
as we got beyond the immediate circle of
lights. We went straight for the road,
aud Rosa uttered not a sound. There
was hope for Us yet we might get clear
off in the darkness. My duty was plain
to save the helpless woman at my side.
A few rods brought US to the road. On
we went at hcadlong speed, but the Mus
SULLIVAN devils had fired the mess tent. In
an instant the great dry tent was one
sheet of flame; it lighted up the white
road ON which we were galloping Tor
dear life. The sound of mu>kct shots
rang out the bruics were evidently pot
Ting nj us Stop cried to my CON-
panlon, but too late \ dull thud told me
She was hit She gave me one look of
agony. a look that will haunt me to my
dying day.
But we tore on, aud few seconds
more brought US out of the light of the
still blazing tent. She had ceased TO
urge her horse, AS She had done, with
whip and spur.
Don't give in cried, lin a few min
utes we 5. all be safe from pursuit"
Leave me. Jack she said; my
horse is wounded and SO am |.
As she said the words thu poor beast
fell with crash-frll to rise no more. |
sprang to the a,uuuI; despcration lent mt
strength. How | managed it don't
know; but succeeded in getting her on
to nv own frightened beast. She was
apparently faintng; in her right hand
she still clutched the revolver.
Take it, she said | thrust it into
my holster.
Don't let me fall into their hands
alive, Jack She never spoke again.
When she passed away | cannot tell,
but she was ,ad ere reached MurShah.
/ handed her body over To the women. |
made my report to the officers in com
mand. told how sudden had been the
rising. and how brave Major Cross fell
picrcrd hy the bullet of some Stalking
mutinecr; anG then thought of poor
dead Rosa, aud wondered if She and |
had been so very much To blame. Ne,
my conscience was fairly clear; and ii
WAS with some satisfaction that | buc-
Killed. my sword belt to accompany the
party that was to wreak rctrihution on
the mutneers of the-the regiment, who
we heard, had entrenched themselves at
Kerimabad. As | rode along with the
others. thirsting for revenge, | thought
of poor murdered Rosa and her wrecked
Young life. thought of her rs an angel
in heaven looking down on me, and in ms
heart swore to give no quarter to the
rullians who had caused her death. As
did so | mechanically opened my holster,
1. r..,..al,.or a..l.