The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-01-14

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1IH lion was widespread,
n aud that the English in
EM India were IN danger
NN OF annihllation.
T. E.N The third night after
SAFSN<, the Meerut affair 0c-
- aEf cured the first of "A
res of tragedies which
10 this day invest MallapooT with a romantic
history, One of the guards stationed near lie
main barsack was found 10 be missing when the
relief came round, and search as we might the
poor fellow, Keller by name, was missing still.
The next night another guard vanished ln
llSTmmucr and the second night alter this the
thifl man went AZ first il was thought that
fear had induced the men 90 desert but ms they
were the best priyates IN their respective COM
pauies suspicion of dcscrtion did not stick 10
them very long We began 10 believe that the
men had been carried 90 by some enemies aud
murdered somewhere in the town, which con-
tanned, among other buildings, an imposing
structure inhabited by the sub-Raiah OF the
district
Tho disappearance Of the three men placed
every one on the alert. and those who took
their places were warned 10 he careful aud not
relax their vigilance for an instant This every
man ia the regiment promised TO do. lut IN
spite of ID tll nj the cud of the week the fourth
man vanished and within the next three days
the fifth guard followed his comrades.
Matters were getting serious and q fear
=
we all doomed TO the same mysterious fate
Were we to be visited, one by one with the un-
known and terrible doom which had cvertakeu
the Cuards2 ID made as shudder TO think of il,
and yet some Of US had seen service at the can
mons mouth
"Who will be the sixth man 2" was the pre-
vaillng question when we mounted guard, and
] confess TO a fear which would not down, try
as ] would 10 stiAe the feeling Of insecurity.
One night-it was the 18th one after the dis
appearance Of the first guard took my sta
ton at the place from which the first missing
man had vanished.
The last words OF the officer who posted me
were words Of caution. He recalled the fate
OF my comrades and told me TO keep eyes and
ears open and try 10 win the reward offered by
the Colonel for solution OF the impenetrable
mystery.
When was left alone and saw the shadows
thrown by watcry moon chase one another
across the parade ground on my left could not
help wondering 81 the Unknown would make
me the sixth victim Of his proves. j stood
quite alone, but where could hear the sounds
OF night-work in the officers building; but
this did not chase fear from my heart
By-aud-by the moon went down and all be-
came dark, for the stars did not shed light
enough 10 show me the ground within few
feet Of my beat ] began to think Of the men
who had disappeared, calling them up one by
one, and trying TO solve, as II j could by specu-
lati0n the cause Of their yanishmemt. This
served 10 keep me Wide-awake, and ] felt no
drowsiness, however drowsy the night air was
that famed my checks.
All az once, aud before ] could make a single
motion Ia seli-delense, j was seized from be-
hind and thrown 10 the ground. My arms were
pni0ned TO my sides In the twinklinR Of an
eye aud cloth was thrown over my head. All
this did not occupy the first half Of q minute,
end when j tried to resist il was too late, and ]
felt myself picked mp and hurried Of in the
hands of at least two men.
] was the sixth man
How long my strange journey through the
dark lasted never knew, but when came 70
my senses ] was lying on a cold floor. aud with
my hands free OF course ] sprang up and tore
The bliudfo!d from my eyes.
Al FIRST my surroundings seemed as dark as
my beat bad been, but soon perceived a streak
OF light, and going forward j reached grated
window, from which, to my surprise, looked
down into the Rajahs gardens.
Al FIRST ] could hardly credit the evidence Of
sight was not prepared to believe that had
been conveyed 10 the Raahs palace as the
large building was called; but the longer j
looked the hrmer became my belief that was
nowhere else.
Ny prisonroom was a cherries place 10 by
IL leeti with high ceiling aBd bare walls Of
dull stone. The stones that formed the walls
we're cut Ia square blocks aud had been fitted
together 30 nicely that none bot a keen eve
could sec where they Joined. The only piece
Of furniture in the room was a cot IN one
corner, but had no desire TO throw myself
upOn h.
Shut in as j was ] tried the door, but found
ID a. solid as rock then went 10 the window
again and looked down into the grounds. ]
heard the growing Of the pets in the Rajal's
menagerie and caught sight Of several Razelles
which were given the liberty of the gardens
j had M fUnfb fIuf Hun "A ,.fIE,
/. the same agency which was responsible for the
yanlshment Of the Eve men before me- aud
thought that perhaps they had been brought 10
this very cell. But they were not there now,
and j could not help thinking than they had
gone from ID 10 their final DOOM
longed Tor daylight as / had never before
l0nged for the beautiful mornings Of india.
wanted 20 sec more Of the outside world and
81 was 30 be murdered, would have a chance
10 fight for life, whereas 81 the stranger came
in the dark ] could not meet him 80 we'll
~ was tie longest right Of my life, and when
] saw The first arrows Of day in the east my
lace was az The grating Sure enough j had
looked down into the private garden Of the
young kajah, q man whose friendship we ali
suspected. j now saw part OF the palace aud
the taIhest animals OF the menagerie were
taken out FOR q morning walk under nv very
eyes aud j saw their sleek, wcl-ied bodies and
the dark skins OF their keepers.
But all 30 once, while looking al the walls
made discovery thai thrilled me 10 the depths
Ol my soul.
! found on one Of the stones some pencil
marks, aud on d closer inspection found them
20 be the names Of the five missing soldiers
The reader may imagine the horror that
took possession Of me on making this terrible
discovery. The great mystery which had
shocked u6 all was no mystery any longer. The
unfortunate men had been captured by the
kHjahs slaves brought 10 the palace and put
~ death in s0iuc secret manner But they had
left on the stone the record OF their fate; their
names told me that they bad been ruthlessly
murdered by the RajHh, aud that j would be
the next Victim--thc sixth man, as il were.
That day was the longest OF my life ]
could plcture the horror that had alrcady seized
the whole regiment ] felt that ] was believed
dead, that the Colonel bad doubled the reward
for the solution OF the dark puzzle. and that
The men were budding together aud wonder.
ing who would be (" tile next man."
Nothing came 10 me that day Ia the shape
81 food. ] added my name 20 those already on
The stone, and then contemplated the whole
with look OF despair.
j went from window 20 wall from wall Il
window j heard the notes OF the ffe as The
regiment was paraded and caught the rattle
OF the drum which "Old Jimmy" tic head
drummer, knew SO we'll how 10 beat But al
this only heightened my agony, aud vshea ths
long shades OF evening again tangled them