Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-11-30

not no nau Decn bccustoui'N hoi ycais
to call himself her worshippcr. On the
other hand, though he liked Mary Sui
land very warmly, and would have done
ANYTHING in his power TO give her plea
sure. he never told himself that he was
in love with her nor even thought about
it.
Both the girls on their side regarded
Vane with feelings far different from
those Of ordinary interest. But it is
Characteristic of each that while Lenora
never forgot that Vane was rich man,
Mary Sulland never gave the fact a
thought, nor would have considered the
subject Of much interest il she had.
The two girls were now alone on the
veranda, anxious, restless, and uneasy.
is true that at that moment nothing
alarming was either to be seen or heard.
No noise of war was in the air scarcely
q sound disturbed the evening silence.
In the earlier days of the siege there
had been continued assaults upon the
walls, but these had now been given up
as hopeless, and except for the distant
humming Of the human swhrms among
the huts and bazaars OF the Sepoys
around tho walls the place was still.
But cover oil there hung a cloud OF
fear 4" "a sense Of impending danger, as
Of the sword hanging by single thread ;
the cruel uncertainty az to what was
going TO happen, which makes the pecu-
liar horror Of a passive siege. In such q
situation the ear is always listening, the
nerves are ready 10 start at every sound.
and the mind is kept stretched constant
ly upon the rack.
Vane, on entering the room, had no
knowledge that the two girls were ut
that moment on tho veranda 80 near to
bis own window. He had Just been
round the station. and had got together
with some difficulty half dozen men
who could be spared from active duty at
the watch-posts on the walls, and these,
az he had given orders, were now col
lected about the door Of the room, await
ing his arrival. -Four were English, two
were Sikhs-every man Of them, as
Nane knew well, TO be trusted to the
death.
These men he now placed on one side
of the table while no himself stood on
the other. Then in a few words he ex-
planned TO them the nature of the SER
vice for which they were required, add
ing that he only wished for volunteers,
and that any man who disliked the duty
might retire al once Not man stirred,
however. Tho Sikhs saluted Pravely
the British soldiers, true to the imme-
mortal custom Of their race when called
upon to face a special danger, broke into
a cheer.
Vane looked round him and his eyes
glistened, but he said simply:
1.-The man that goes ont first will run
by far the greatest risk. Who will un-
dertake that duty =? "
There were, as already stated, six men
present besides Vane himself. ixright
hands Immediately saluted-there were
six competitors for the privilege Of being
the first mark Of the Sepoys' cannon.
Vane smiled.
eve must draw lots. I Sec" he said.
Opening a shallow drawer in the table
he took out Of it pack OF cards.
"Here are seven Of MS, he continued.
81 am going to deal these cards all
round. Whichever OF us receives a GER
tain card-we will say the Knave Of
Spades-will be the man selected. "
He cut the pack. The deal began.
A hush fell on the six spectators-the
hush of rising interest. Except for the
slight futtering noise made by the fall
ing cards not n sound was to be heard.
Strange, that there is something in sus-
pense which affects the mind more
strongly than the actual danger. These
men had volunteered, without space OF
hesitation, to face the risk of death.
Yet, not one Of them could now look on
without tingling Of the blood as they
waited for the card to fall which carried
q mans life
Such was their absorption that they
did not see two faces which came sud-
denly peeping in upon them through
the window of the room.
The two girls on the yeranda had been
startled by hearing all at once the sound
Of voices in the room close by them.
From their position they could not
avoid overhearing every word that pass,
ed. They heard the short speech in
which Nane announced to the men the
danger which threatened the well and
the duty which was expected of them
they heard his appeal for volunteers and
then the cheer which followed. SO faI
they had remained motionloss, eagerly
drinking in the details of the proposed
adventure, but when VaHe took out the
pack of cards in order to select mar
by lot, to listen without seeing was i'm
possible, and in a minute the two faces
came peeping at the window in the man
ner just described.
From this position they could see
clearly every card as it was dealt The
cards fell slowly, one by one, before
each man in turn. The deal went
round-card by card, as it appeared, the
focus of nine pair Of eager eyes. The
second deal went round--no knave o.
spades as yet appeared. The fourth be
gan would that complete the circuit Of
the seven? The pack was growing thir
and expectation deepened now with
every card. Where was the Knave OF
Spades? 1t must come soon Agar
the cards went round.
No! Not quite. AS the last card fel
face upward on the table a thrill went
through the nerves of the spectators.
The two girls at the window shranh
back suddenly as if they had been shot
There was the fatal card at last The
lot had fallen to Vane himself /!
The young man laughed lightly as he
threw down the pack.
"That decides it, he said; " | &c
first. You will meet me at the archway
in half an hour from this time it then
will be dusk, and we will give ourselves
what chance wo can. | shall go out
alone the rest of you will wait under
cover of the archway and will rush out
the moment they fire at me. II fall
two of YOU must bring me in-Sandersor
and King can do it. The other four
must try to get bucketful Of water
each-there will be time for that,
think, though it will be sharp work.
Remember at the archway, with al
ready, in half an hour"