The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-02-28
CHAPTER IL


The five great stone barrack blocks
stood out gaunt and clear in the silver
beams of an Indian fun moon. In front
on the parade-ground side, there was
hustle and life in plenty: for. though
the sun had set two hours ago. it was
not yet late and the canteen and recrea-
ton rooms were still open. But in the
rear, where the sandy wilderness
stretched right mp TO the barrac1 walls
all was deserted and silent save for the
cries of the jackals in the distant scrub
waiting for the "light-out" bugle To en-
courage them for their nightly pTowl
round the cook houses. These necessary
offices consisted Of small detached build
ings placed behind. and some little way
from the main blocks. so that the smells
and the refuse should rot be danger
and an annoyance TO the soldiers At
this time in the evening the Portuguese
cooks had long since gone to their
homes i'm the bazaar. and in the ordinary
course the cook-nOuses would have been
locked up and left TO themselves till it
was time to prepare the mems breakfast
in the morning.
Tonight however. il appeared that the
bobaji khana belonging to G company
was TO be in request for a rendezvous
The gong at the quarter guard had just
>.
corner of the block and entered the cook
house. Dalzell had found the sergeant
quite willing to allow him to witness his
interview with the astrologer. and even
eager to adopt a course which he eVi-
IDENTIFY regarded as certain to obtain an
other convert to the mystic art. For
Ferguson placed more reliance than ever
on his preceptor Rajab. seeing that the
scrutiny of the ammunition and Of the
registers had failed to yield further in
formation than that four ball cartridges
We're missing from the company chest,
but that every man had properly ac-
counted for each round served out to
him.
The cOlor-sergeant ushered his officer
into the cOOk-hOuse and pointed out how
he could see and hear everything that
passed by stationing himself at an UNI
glazed window at the back.
The chiel has eyes like search-lig hts.
sir" ne said as he prepared TO go out
side: sac We must cen keep yourself
in the shadow. Mayhap he would re
fuse to display his quality. if so be as
he thocht he was o'erlookit-'
Glow did you first pick this chap up.
Ferguson ?''- asked Dalzell, settling him
self in his hidingplace.
The sergeant paused on the threshold,
and for a moment seemed puzzled to find
an answer. lit was he that picked me
up, sir. l suppose-when 1 come to think
of it," he replied at last II was walk
ing in the bazaar a month back and
he came up and said in Hindustani he
should be pleased TO read me the voice
of the stars They a ken i'm barracks
that L am partial to speerin after spirits
and sic things. Mayhap he had heard
it frae some Of the lads. But whisht.
here he comes
Ferguson stepped into the open. shut
ting the door behind him, and DalzeII
crouched by the window to watch for the
uDshot OF events. He had not long to
wait Half a minute later the color
sergeant came into view conversing in
Hindustani with a tall. 1.-the native
whose white garments and carefully ar
ranged turban proclaimed him to be Of
better substance than the usual run of
mendicant juggieTs- As they came into
line with the window Ferguson halted
and suggested that there, under cover Of
the coOk-hOuse they would be free from
observa tion-a proposition to which Ra-
lab. after hasty glance round, gave his
assent. The moonlight fell full on his
face and Dalzell, peering from his lair.
not six feet away, thought he had never
seen such wonderful eyes before There
was nothing shifty or snake-like about
them; they were calm and steadfast
enough, but they glowed like two balls Of
liquid fire.
And what does the sergeant sahib or
der his slave to show him tonight" be-
ban Rajab when they had finished their
greeting. 1.-THE moon is in the ninth
house and the period is very favorable
for seeing visions
"Show me the countenance Of the man
7 most desire TO sec" replied Ferguson
speaking in the vernacular, with which
his ten years Indian service had famil-
iarized him.
Taking phiaI from the folds Of his
garment. Raiab poured the inky con
tents into the sorgeants outstretched
pa I'm bidding him AZ the same time to
fix his eyes on his own. Dalzell. waiTh-
ing closely. noticed strange dreamy
look spread over Ferguson's face. while
expression.
THE beggsr Is hypnotizing him.
thought the lieutenant TO himself II
wonder II - But no: IT cannot, be
His train Of ideas was interrupted by