Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1892-04-29
THE LOST DETAIL.

The affair shall tell OF happened
after we had blown the leaders OF the
Sepoy rebellion from the mouths OF
our cannon and had gone back to our
old quarters in Bailypuhr, not far
from the Nepaul frontier. We had
seen hot work at Luckenow. and the
men were nursing wounds re-
ceived Tiers and looking forward to
another brush with the natives for the
terrible massacre instigated by Mana
Sahib then fugitive. ranked in the
heart OF every soldier
One afternoon Colonel Murray or
dered a detail of ten men who were to
proceed to Bf.llydak. village five
miles to the northeast and escort
back three wagon loads of tents. be-
sides giving room Tor the wife OF
Post0n, young woman who had been
visiting the family of native who
had remained loyal all through the
late war.
Corporal Dix's last instructions
were to be back by shutdown. and we
saw the little detail file across the
parade ground and out OF the gate
with no fear for it's safety.
But when night came and we heard
nothing of the detail. though We
looked down tho road to Baillydak
with some anxiety. we began to fear
that trouble had overtaken the 10.
Another hour passed and the tall fig
ure of Col Murray emerged from his
quarters. and was seen to leave the
barrack and stand in tho road with
his eyes turned wistfully toward the
near village.
Coming back with a nervous step,
he ordered out II company, and gave
Capt. Nolan particular instructions to
see what detained Corp'l Dix and his
squad. remember how eagerly we
shouldered our muskets and stepped
into line. hoping that we would get to
shoot few Dacoits or prowling Sc
poys on the trip. But the whole tramp
was devoid of any excitement save
that which belonged to the fact that
we reached Baillydak without having
seen or heard of the lost detail.
The next day the road was searched
again. A strong force was sent over
it with orders to follow the trail when
found to the end. and not let anything
escape the human eye.
1t was my fortune to go out with
the searching party. When we
reached point about midway between
the two towns we came across what
appeared to be clew to the mystery.
This was wagon-track among the
stones OF the road, but when we had
followed it some distance 1t vanished
and the mystery was as deep as ever.
We went into the Jungle stirred out
two tigers that fed at our approach.
and turned back when we discovered
that nothing was to be found there.
At last the colonel secretly detailed
several men, who were to act as spies
or detectives In hopes of ferretlng out
the truth about the lost detail
1t fell to my lot to BIO one of these
perhaps because had succeeded in
getting at the bottom of another mys.
terry in which part of the regiment
had figured. did not like the Job,
for knew the revengeful nature of
the Sahibs and Sepoys, and had good
cause to fear them. traitors and rebels
as they were.
Some four days after the second de-
tail was picking my way through an
open part of the Jungle toward the
summit of hill from which could
overlook the land lying between Bal
lypuhr and Baillydak. When I had
gained the spot halted in the shade
OF a group of tnmarinds and rested.
Tho whole country. wild but pictur-
esque lay in the last beams of the
sun. md noticed toward Baillydak
some confusion. as II a squad of horse
men were riding rapidly toward the
north as though In fear OF pursuit.
The horsemen disappeared in ono
of the dark passes of the hills, and
when the shadows OF night had fairly
settled over the landscape l turned
my faco In that direction. for the
movements OF the native cavalry had
aroused my suspicious.
l gained the pass after a long tramp
through the grass and tall underground
ano halted where could command a
view OF 1t In the dim moonlight that
now prevailed.
Certain marks on the ground told
me that the horsemen had passed
down the ravine. They were native
horses as they were not shod. / was
in the act of following when strange
cry which sounded like the note of O
Ger tain nisht-bird, found nowhere but
In Dude. fell upon my ears. A mo-
ment later there came into view, not
the bird itself but the tall figure of u
natiye chief
IA an instant my hand was ut the
butt OF my pistol. for / had brought
no musket to the spot aud leaning