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

For some moments there was no sound be
yond the door but did not relax my yigi-
lance. ] felt that everything depended on my
patience.
AT last the door moved. saw il open and
there stepped into the chamber dark laced
man whose eyes shone like balls Of fire. was
so close TO him that I had 10 fall back to avoid
contact: but the next second my heart few 10
my throat for had recognized the Rajah him
self
If l had prayed for any'particular person TO
come il would have been that very man. i
wanted to meet him. ] felt that be was at the
head Of the murders. and longed 20 bury my
hands in his rascally throat and deprive the
Scpoys Of titled ally.
The 1.-the body Of the Rsiah seemed tOquiver
rs lac fixed his sloc-hlacs eyes on me, aud there
Slipped from somewhere about his scanty Earb
long moose, which he clutched in his hands.
IL WAS the stranger cord, the emblem Of
thuEgce and the dreaded moose Of which had
heard 80 many teulble stories around the
campfire
The eyes Of the halfuaked man seemed to
possess the charming pr0pcnsitics OF the ser
pcnt
With them fastened upon me- no slipped one
foot forward without noise, meanwhile moving
his body toward the spot where ] stood. lett
a strange feeling take possession Of my nerves.
Was ] under the same dark spell by which my
comrades had been conquered aud killed.
Suddenly ] moved and went toward that dis
cpIc Of thugsm like an arrow sent from an
Indian bow fell upon him like mailman,
hut the next instant ] discovered that had
struck a wonderful person. The long arms OF
the kgiah went round me like the arms 81 a
dcyii-ish, ms eyes seemed 10 burn on my cheek,
aud ] felt my powers leaving me even While
Thought was gaining the mastery over him.
Not word uassud between as.
Up from tho gardens below came the roar OF
the lions and The sharp barking OF the hycnas
The wild beasts were doing exactly what we
wcre-fghtlng for the mastery.
threw the Raiah against lac wall at last,
and, sclzing favorable opportunity, buried
my fingers into his long stretch Of throat and
tried 10 make them meet beneath the skin.
His body was almost as slippery as that Of an
eel, and it was all could do 10 hold the throat
i cutched with the energy OF despair.
II was life or death.
j cluug 20 the royal weazen until ] found
the Raiah giving way under my gain. looked
into the face as il was revealed Ia tie faint
start ght that stole into the room, aud saw it
ghasty IN look and horrible in contour.
lie did not breathe now, but did not let 80
Tighter aud tighter ] clutched, until my hands
seemed actually 90 meet under the skin, and
not until the body slid 10 the floor did i relax
my hold
When drew the first long breath Of relief
looked down into the face lying on the cold
stones over which we bad fought for life. The
Rajan lay like one dead at my feet. The
cord had long before fallen from his hands, and
his wristlets of gold were broken.
spumed the body with my feet and sprang
TO the door With the power Of two men /
opened u and dashed down the long, diElly-
lighted corridor that presented itself
NO one opposed my passage. ] saw figure
get out Of my way aud when ] ran out into the
night heard the lions again. The wall around
the palace proper did not break my fight to
freedom. ] scaled u, and dropping 10 the
ground on the other SIDE ran down the main
street OF the town and across the parade ground
as fast as a priyate's legs could carry him.
Somehow or other, il was not intentional.
fell against the COlOnel's door. and when il was
opened ] heard a loud cry, the last one ne.
membcred for weeks The hospital opened its
doors FOR me, and when the regiment made its
famous forced march 10 Allabahad, where il
Joined the main army, was taken Ia an ambu-
lance, still unable 10 give an account OF my adj
venture.
When was able 20 talk told my story. but
we were then far from the old barracks, aud
the demon Rajah was reported 10 have Joined
the rebels. After my recovery ] took part in
the relief Of Lucknow, and when we came 10
blow the rebel chiefs from the muzzles Of our
cannon, j was startled 10 look into the eyes Of
one Of them and see the same flaming orbs
which had seen in the chamber Of death in
the Ralals palace. The next moment all that
was left Of the rascal was a quiyering trunk.
From the date Of my adventure, aud even
after the expiration Of MY enlistment, ] was
known 20 the Guards as the Sixth Men, and
have no donbt that tie regimeutal records