The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1895-07-31


tcrnaturally occupied in the defense, al
though in reality he was watching the
purposey bad firing of Giraud and con
vincing himself thereby that the French
man meant no good to the brave defenders.
"By the howly mithcr, that's the third
I've bowlcd over, manin eight misses and
three bullseycs, which might be improved
upon, Maiferty was saying when the
officer in command, Lieutenant Walton,
went toward him and said:
"Mafferty, 1 want to speak to you
Como over by the table"
Obedient to orders, Mafferty went and
sat down so that his face was toward Wal
ton and his back to Giraud, who, try as
he did, failed to overhear any part of the
conversation.
"Theyre giving us "a little respite just
now" began Walton. 81 thought I saw
CORVALLIS give you note to take to his
daughter. What became of itP'
81 guy ii to that spalpecn yonder to de-
liver worse luck ~ said Mafferty, nodding
his head at the man behind.
"Did you read itY'
"I couldn't resist that same" Private
Mafferty confessed.
Walton frightened up at this. "What
were the exact words? DO you remember
them?" he asked
"The worst has come Trust yourself
entirely to bearer answered Mafferty. 81
thought that Mossoo Giraud was for us
and not agin us, or I'd "a burnt the paper
or swallowed it afore his fingers should
have closed on 1t, " added the disconnected
trooper.
"Wcll tell me-don't hesitate-what do
you make out of the affair? You know
we are all in love with Miss Margot down
to the very drummer boy. If there is any
foul work going on, we must try to thwart
it, though how I'm to help in that is more
than l can conjecture, seeing that duty
coops me up here"
Its thrue we are all in love with Miss
Margot, assented Mafferty, land think
know the perticler one NV us she's selected
to love back which amt meself, worse
luck, as you may know, lieutenant"
"You'd run any risk if you thought by
doing so you could save Miss Margot?"
pursued Walton.
to save her for you
Walton caught the private's hand:
"Td never ask you what I'm going to
ask if duty did not hold me here, F" he said
"Theres one thing to be said BY follow
y
life, if you have luck, which is more than
one of us here will do, l fancy"
"Thats to be seen. But there spake,
and l II obey, sor. I've nivir bin disrepec'-
full to me superior officer yit, and it's too
quare tonne for me to be so now Send
me to bring Miss Margot back, and III do
1t this tonne, or I'll drop from Pandy
bullet
Listen to me, then, " said Walton. Tho
two inen sat Whispering together for some
minutes. Then Mafferty disappeared down
the stairway. Five minutes afterward
sepoy went by the outpost carrying an
updoubted British musket, but that was
nothing unusual for a Pandy to have at
that time. One thing was clear, As he
went along the Cawnpur road the firing
from the loopholcs ceased for minute.
Private Maffcrty was by no means dis
pleased with his own skill in converting
himself into an unsupported sepoy, whilu
the risk he ran each minute of detection
under his disguise only added fresh zest to
the dangerous nature of the task he had
undertaken
Through the streets and alleys of Luck
now the disguised trooper went, into ba-
zaars opium dens, into houses that were
being looted and all with one purpose in
view--to discover what had become of
Margot CORVALLIS. He chatted gayly with
fat Chetties and fair cOmpleXiOned Moo
deliars, he mixed with shOpkeepers, whose
bodies naked above the waist, sOrely
tempted him to try his bayonet upon them,
while well clad Mohammedans in gay tur-
bans and silk attire stopped to praise him
for his theft of Il Fcrringhee muskct and
to wish him luck in Allahs name when
he turned the weapon against the English.
Try his utmost, as Mafferty did the day
had grown late before he got any news OF
the one he was seeking.
Two women were gossiping under the
shade of some IT. trees and, squatting
down in native f ~ near them, Matter
ty heard some dc,...., Of the "mem sahib, -
and of the place to which she was bound.
Judging from the scraps of conversation
he heard and piccing them together, it was
evident NJ. Giraud had used the paper he
got from Maiicrty to good purpose. Mar
got CORVALLIS had accompanied him will.
ingly to the house of wealthy Hindoo,
where she at present was. At night she
was to be taken, as she understood, out of
Lucknow to be received by friends prepared
to hide her till all danger of the mutiny
was past. Giraud, honest man, was in
league with the mutinecers, who were
helping on his plans in return for his serv.
ices as a spy.
To find the house where the unsuspect.
ing prisoner was Mafferty knew would be
useless, so he contented himself with max.
ing his way to the city gate and watching
what should happen.
Night came upon the besieged city, and
the dull roar of the cannon ceased. The
men in the outposts took it in turn to
stretch themselves in sleep upon the bare
planks of the floor, while the others kept
watch as best they could, in case any night
attack might be meditated The excited
throngs of Hindoos and Mohammedans
filling the streets were disappearing. Only
here and there, where some fanatic hand
had fired European residence, could signs
Of the siege be seen.
1t was a hot, close night, and Mafferty
was half doing ut his post, when he saw
a jutka, kind of box upon wheels, pass
out of the city. There We're three occu-
pants within 1.-two Hindoos with appar
emily Hindoo woman, who was closely
yelled, between them. The conveyance was
drawn by two horses, while several natives
walked beside, on either side of it. When
he thought 1t safe TO do so, Mafferty rose