San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-07-05
SAVED BY A STRATAGEM.

Currie, English commissioner at the up coun-
try station of Hutta- Bagh, in northern In
dia, had gone out upon the veranda with his
wife and his two guests-Col. kyres and
Maj Armstrong, of the -th infantry. While
the party were quietly conversing a sudden
clamor of angry voices from the road below
drew them all to the front of the veranda
The cause OF the disturbance was visible at
once Two half drunken English soldiers,
staggering along the road, had come into
violent contact with q native boy who was
running past; and one Of them, enraged at
the collision, had felled the poor lad to the
ground and was unclasping his own belt with
the evident intention Of beating him unmer-
cifuly.
'Served the young whelp right" shouted
the colonel, rubbing his hands; that's just
what they all want"
The other, Maj Armstrong peculiarly
called Maj. Strongarm-wasa 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 your
"And who the deuce are you, shown yer
nose in where yer amt wanted!' roared the
infatuated ruifian, to whose eyes the ma or's
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, dashlng him 20 the
ground as if he had been blown from the
mouth Of gun.
well done, major!" shouted Mr.. Currie,
from above. You deserve your name and
10 mistake"
At the name of ''major" 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 trucking freely over his
swarthy face; but the little hero Sill did his
best to stand erect and to keep down every
sign of the pain which he was enduring.
You're a brave lad, and 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 gone, and Mr..
Currie's hospitable house presents a very diff
fGrent spectacle The pretty garden is
trampled into dust and mire, and the bodies
of men and horses are lying thick among the
fragments of the half destroyed stockade.
The windows of the house are blocked up,
and through the loopholed walls peer the
muzzles of ready rifles, showing how steady
the besieged garrison stands at bay against
the countless enemies whose dark, fierce faces
aud glittering weapons are visible through
the half ruined building and matted thickets
all around. The Sepoy mutiny of 1857 is
blazing sky high over northern India, and
Col Ayres is blockaded in Hutta-Bagh, with
a certainty of a hideous 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 theupper rooms.
mo fear of the water running short, said
Maj. Armstrong; but even upon half rations
the food will be out in four days more"
"And then We'll just go right at them, and
cut our way through or die for it," growled
the colonel, with a 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 side glance at Mr..
Currie, who, standing on the further corner
was anxiously watching the thin, worn face
of his sleeping wife.
At that moment a loud cheer from below
startled them both, and the next moment
Ismail the majors boy" as every one now
called him) burst into the room, with glow
OF unwonted excitement on his dark face.
''Sahib!" 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 savedl'
glow do you knowp asked the major,
eagerly.
Il heard the Sepoys say so, while was
lying hid among the bushes yonder," an
swered the lad.
Among the bushes yonder!" roared the
colonel, facing around. Have you really
been in the midst of those cutthroat villains,
listening to what they said' Whatever did
you do that fOrP'
~ did it for Sahib Armstrong; sake" re-
piled the boy, proudly, because he was good !,
to me-"
But if the troops are beyond the river,
how can we communicate with themF asked |
Mrs. Currie, who, awakened by the shouting, |
had risen and joined the group. They may |
not pass near enough to hear the firing, and |
we have no means of sending them word"
Fear nothing tor that, mem-sahib" una |
damn, said the HindOo boy, quietly; Il will |
carry them word myself"
But how can you possibly do itl" cried |
Mr.. Currie, thunderstruck by the confident |
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