The National tribune., 1892-03-10

OF wheels in the duh looking ground, aud the
next moment ] believed had discovered the
track Of the lost detail.
You may imagine the thrill produced by tins
sudden Gnd. ] felt my heart stand STILL as II
were and for some seconds ! saw nothing but
the marks In the earth.
After awhile ] started on again, following the
clew so unexpectedly discovered. AT last
found myself la the heart of a clump Of trees
whose foliage was so dense that ! could hardly
see my hands before my face il did mol occur
10 me that i was getting deeper aud deeper into
danger, for ] thought Of nothing but the Cor
poral and his men, and pictured the distress OF
Mrs. Poston aud the indignities TO which / felt
she would be subjected.
All az once there rose between me ana the
mouth OF the cavern figure from which lei
back aghast.
il was tall and 1.-THE Of body, suggesting the
sleek tiger instead Of the cunning native.
believed that j saw before me the hunted
Mana Sahib, the man who had ordered the
dreadful massacre at Cawupore, Ny hand
went mechanically 10 my pistol, and haa &C,
tuaily covered the native before j thought OF
the consequences of shot.
IL was lucky for me that did not fire, and
whom the leader OF the Scpoy war turned ana
went back toward tho cavern ] regretted that
] had not sent bullet through his head.
Minutes seemed hours 10 me from that time.
] kept my body hid in the foliage into which
] had pulled myself waiting for something 10
turn up that would give me a clew 10 the rcai
fate or Whereabouts Of the lost detail, and while
] listened aud watched ] heard the roar OF the
man-eater in the mountain, and even Thought
j heard his silken and deadly tread.
Al last the man / had seen came into view
again and this time lac was accompanied by
another.
The time has come Bring forth tho hated
English! commanded Mana Sahib.
The next minute a dozen natives, armed 10
the teeth like DICOlts came forward, and under
guard walked the men Of the lost squad. Ny
heart rose in my throat when ] looked upon
the forms Of COrpl Dix and his comrades. But
what had become of Mrs. P0siOny
The men were dashed together two by two.
/ ] saw Rt once that they were 10 be shown no
mercy by Mana Sahib aud his companions.
/ The leader Of The revolt stood facing the sol
diers, and at a sign from him ] saw leap into
the moonlight the long knives Of the heartless
eXecutlOEers.
II ever longed for a detail Of the old -th
regiment il was when / looked upon the
doomed men standing in the very shadow OF
death. was p0weress 10 help them, Tor a
movement on my part would not only secure
my own end, but il would hasten the fate Of
the soldiers.
resolved to shut my eyes and not witness
the execution Of the detail. but the hurricane
]
mittcd 10 do this. Another signal from the
chief Gcnd of India aud nearly dozen knives
/ flashed for an instant aud the brave men who
! had fought al Lucknow sank welterlng IN their
! blood.
There was no struggling after the blows.
! The cxecutioncrs knew where TO plant their
! blades aud had sent them into the hearts OF rs
brave men as ever shOudcrcd an English mus
/ kct or listened to Annie Laurie around the
4 old campfire
/ After the death Of Corpl Dix and bis men ]
/ Rugged the limb, which held me, closer than
ever feared the rowing eyes Of the natives
who had committed the murder, and when
/ Mana turned toward The cavern and gave an
other signal ] craued any neck forward, won
! dering what was 10 happen next
To my establishment there came forward, LED
\ by sleek Sepoy, Mrs. POst0n, the Captains
wife.
Thore was no fear In the tread Of the woman,
who looked about her, and, with unbanchci
checks, counted the silent aud bleeding f2nrcs
upon the ground ] bad seen her az the bar
rack. where she was the life Of the whole post.
! Now she seemed as much her old self as ever be-
fore. But could see that her lips were welded,
aud that the deep black eyes flashed when she
/ turned upon Mana SaAiD aud faced him with
undaunted mien.
You are the last" said the Mana in his
sleek voice. which ala who ever heard il never
forgot NOuare the last Of the hated dctaill Z"
am the last, murderer said Mrs. Poston,
/ advancing upon him with her white hands
/ climchCd aud her frame IN a culver. " am
the last, but while go, ] hope 10 heaven, you
will descend TO the darkest depths Of hadcs! F"
i The figure Of the Sepoy started back, but as
quick as a cat went the Captains wife toward
him.
Something that had the glitter Of steel was
"a the uplifted hand OF the cool woman. She
T. - al -
/ beWlldeTing succession. There WAS a wild cry,
aud the fall Of a human body, as the natives
rushed 70 their chiefs assistance, then Mrs.
POston struck at the loering faces Of those who
would close in upon her. and bounded into the
jungle with the speed OF q deer.
The Sepoys forgot The woman, in their desire
10 inquire into the state Of their leaders wounds
aud when they carried him back - the cavern,
and had turned their backs upon me- j slipped
down from my perilous perch, aud ran lor my
life.
The thought Of Mrs. Poston alone in the
tiger-iulested hills Of Dude aud probably
hunted by baud Of Sepoy cut-throats hastcned
my return TO BallyPuhr, where reported what
j had seen.
The next morning the hills were alive with
red coats aud we hunted the Jungle foot by
foot. The bodies Of the murdered men were
found ia the heart Of the cavern, whittier they
had been carried by the -cpOys and from there
we took up the trail OF the Captains wife.
But two days passed ere we struck 10 again
aud then il was 10 discover Mrs. POst0n wander
ing aimlessly 3D. dense c0Vse, and so nearly
dead with hunger and fright rs 10 have lost hcl
mind completely.
The unfortunate woman was taken carefully
back and placed under the Surgeons care bu
days elapsed before she uttered an ineligible
! word; ihcn She could not recall "a single Incl
dcut Of her captivity, nor tell The true story o
the capture q The lost detail By Mana Sahi
aud bis men.
Strange 10 say, she never recovered that par
OF her history, and though J would relate ml
adventure TO her, she would say that il was
dream. Therefore, 20 this day is wrapped i
mystery the capture Of the detail. The wagon
aud oxen were never found, nor were any
the arms Of the squad recovered. il is suT
. posed That the Mana citiced COrpl Dix and AI
! comrades into what proved a death trap, an
!. then kept the secret 81 the capture aud deC0y
: will always believe thHUuae vengeance
q ms Poston that night in the Tiger Hills n
tie world 81 the greatest mau-uOustCT th5
4 ever cursed IT, II IS said that Mana Sahib wa
seen as late a. $50, but never could find an
/, one who saw him, aud native told me altt
!, the adventure have related that he was killc
IN the jungle by white woman.
l. III this iB true then the knife Of Mrs POst0
n avenged the massacre Of CaWup0Te. and ] al
I but one Of many thousands who will say IA,
/. il was enc Of tic most righteous blows eve
I, struck.
- Signaling KEith Mirrors