Daily tobacco leaf-chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1890-1895, 1890-05-28
SAVED BY A STRATAGEM.

VIE ana his two guests-Col. Ayres anC
Maj Armstrong, OF the -th infantry. While
the party were quietly conversing a suddei
clamor Of angry voices from the road below
drew them all TO the front Of the veranda
The cause OF the disturbance was visible al
once. Two half drunken English soldiers
staggering along the road, had come ina
violent contact with native boy who wal
running past; and one of them, enraged al
the collision, had felled the poor lad to tn,
ground and was unclasplng his own belt will
the evident intention of beating him unmer
cifully.
''Served the young whelp right" shouted
the colonel, rubbing his hands; that's just
what they all WANT
The other, Maj. Armstrong popularity
called Maj. Strongarm-w huge, brawny
silent man, whose forte lay In acting rather
than in talking. To leap to the ground
twelve feet below, TO dart across the garden
to vault over the high stockade beyond, was
the work OF "A moment for the athletic major
and In an another instant he had raised the
fallen boy tenderly from the ground, while
saying to the foremost soldier, in the low,
compressed tone Of man who means what
he says:
''Be Off with you'll"
"And who the deuce are you, shown yel
nose In where yer amt wantedr roared the
Infatuated rufflan, to whose eyes the majors
plain evening dress bore no token of his being
an officer. "Jist you"--
The sentence was never finished. At the
sound OF that last insolent defiance Arm
strong's sorely tried patience gave way alto.
gether, and the strong right hand which had
hewed its way through whole squadron Of
Sikh cavalry fell like sledge hammer upon
his opponents face, dashing him to the
ground as IT he had been blown from the
mouth Of a gun.
"Well done, majorl" shouted Mr.. Currie,
from above "You deserve your name and
no mistake"
At the name of "majorn the other soldier
took to his heels, and Armstrong, without
even looking at his PROSTATE antagonist, pro-
ceeded to examine the injuries Of the boy.
The latter was sorely bruised in many places,
and the blood was trickling freely over his
swarthy face; but the little hero still did his
best TO stand erect and to keep down every
sign of the pain which he was enduring.
you're brave lad, aud you'll make sol
der some day. said the major TO him, in
Hindoostanee. "Come with me, and I'll see
that no one molests you again"
Six months have come and como, and Mr.
Currie's hospitable house presents a very diff
ferent spectacle. The pretty garden is
tranpled into dust and Inire, and the bodies
of men and horses are lying thick among the
fragments of the half destroyed stockade
The windows of the house arc blocked up,
and through the loopholed walls peer the
muz2les of ready rifles, showing how steady
the besieged garrison stands at bay against
the countless enemies whose dark, fierce faces
and gltterlng weapons are visible through
the half ruined building and matted thickets
all around. The Sepoy mutiny of 1867 is
blazing sky high over northern India, and
Col Ayres is blocknded in Hutta- Bagh, with
a certainty OF hdeous death for himself and
every man of the few who are still true to
him, unless help come speedily,
Day was just breaking when two men held
whispered counsels in one Of the upper rooms.
mo fear of the water running Short" said
Mai. Armstrong; "but even upon half rations
the food will be out in four days more"
"And then we'll just SO right at them, and
cut our way through or die for it," growled
the colonel, with grim smile on his iron
face, for, with all his harshness and injustice,
Col. Ayres was grit to the backbone. 1--WE
mustn't say anything to them about it,
though" added he, with n side glance at MIR,
Currie, who, standing on tho further corner,
was anxiously watching the thin, worn face
~ bis sleeping wife.
At that moment loud cheer from below
startled them both, and the next moment
Ismail the "major's boy" as every one now
called himl burst into the room, with glow
of unwonted excitement on his dark face.
"Sahibl" cried he, there is hope for us yeti
a detachment of English are coming up the
other bank Of the river; If we can send word
TO them as they pass, we are saved'
"How do you knowp asked the major,
eagerly.
II heard the Sepoys say so, while was
lying hid among the bushes yonder," an
swored the lad
"Among the bushes yondern roared the
colonel, facing around Have you really
been In the midst of those cutthront villains,
listening 10 what they saidl Whatever did
you do thai forP
al did 1t for 6ahib Armstrong; sake" re-
piled tho boy, proudly, because he was good
10 me.n
"But il the troops are beyond the river,
how can we communicate with themn asked
Mrs. Currie, who, awakened by the shouting,
had risen and joined the group. They may
not pass rear enough TO hear tho firing, and
we have no means Of sending them word"
'Psay nothing tor that, mem-sahibn una
damn, said the Hndoo boy, quietly; II will
carry them word myself,
"But how con you possibly do itp cried
Mr.. Currie, thunderstrnck by the confident
tone In which this mere child spoke Of task
from which the hardest veteran might well
have shrunk.
Listen sahib,n answered Ismail IL will
slip out Of the house and make IA dash into
the enemy's lines, as If | were deserving from
yon 70 them; and you can tell your people
70 fire a shot or two after me with n blank
cartridge as GO Then the Sepoys will re-
ceive mo kindly, and I'll tell them that you
are all dying OF thirst, and thGt they need
only wait n day more to be sure Of you, so
that they won't come 20 make another at
tack. Then, when they have no suspicion,
and think pm quite one cf themselves, I'll
steal away aud slip across the river
"But ARE you quite sure the Sepoys viii
bclieve your asked Maj Armstrong, doubt
fully.
"They'll believe this, anyhow replied the
boy. deliberately making deep cash in his
bare shoulder, aud staining his white frock
with the blood. as he glded from the room,
followed by the major.
, The plan was soon explained TO The men be
low, aud a moment Iarer IsmailI dark figure
was seen darling like an arrow across the
open spacs in front Of the building, followed
by a quick discharge Of blank cartridges
from the marksmen at the loopholes. The
sound OF firing drew the attention Of the
Sepoys. several Of whom ran forward TO
meet him. hi aifother instant he was in the
midst OF them.
IL can scarcely see for those bushes !" said
Col. Ayres; hut be seems TO be showing
A.. 1919 -. IL. .hniiict. rr,A aallinrr