The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1895-06-19

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Used TO STAND OUTSIDE THE GATEWAY.
on your oath CT the cross Of the Chris
tians. or your body this night shall be
thrown into the ditch and we shall
pass over to our brothers in the rebel
army. There is no middle way.
Which is it to be, death or life? We
can only give you three minutes TO
decide, for the time is passing, and all
must be done before the rounds come
again
How can I decide?' said !. You
have not told me what you want of
me- But 1 tell you now that If it Is
anything against the safety Of the
fort ! will have no truck with it, so
you can drive home your knife and
welcome
'.It is nothing against the fort. said
he. We only ask you to do that which
your countrymen come to this land for.
We ask you to be rich. If you will be
one of US this night, we will swear to
you upon the naked knife. and by the
threefold oath which no Sikh was ever
known to break. that YOU shall have
your fair share Of the loot. A quarter
OF the treasure shall be yours. We can
say no fairer.'
".But what is the treasure. them?
ssked. lam as ready to be rich as
you can be, if you Will but show me
how it can be done
'..You swear. then, said he, by the
bones Of your father, by the honor Of
your mother, by the cross Of your faith.
to raise no hand and speak no word
against US, either now or afterwards?
~ will swear it. answered, pro
vided that the fort is not endangered
Then my comrade and will swear
that you shall have quarter of the
treasure. which shall be equally divided
among the four Of us
There arc but three, said l.
NO; Dost Akbar must have his
share. We can tell the tale TO you
while we await them. Do you stand
at the gate, Mahomct Singh. and give
notice Of their coming. The thing
stands thus. Sahib, and tell i to you
because know that an oath IS binding
upon a Feringhee, and that we may
trust you. Had you been lying Hin
doc, though you had sworn by ell the
gods in their false temples, your blood
would have been upon the knife. and
your body in the water. But the Sikh
knows the Englishman, and the Eng
lishman knows the Sikh. Hearken,
then. to what have to say.
There is rajah in the northern
provinces who has much wealth. though
his lands are small. Much has come to
him from his father, and more still he
has set by himself, for he is Of a low
nature and boards his gold rather than
spend it. When the troubles broke out
he would be friends both with the lion
and the tiger-with the Sepoy and
with the company's raj. Soon, however,
it seemed to him that the white mems
day was come, for through all the land
he could hear Of nothing but their
death and their overthrow. Yet, being
a careful man, he made such plans that,
come what might, half at least of his
treasures would be left to him. That
which was in gold and silver he kept
by him in the vaults of his palace, but
the most precious stones and the
choicest pearls that he had he put in
an iron box and sent it by tructy
servant who. under the guise Of {. mer-
chant, should take it to the fort at
Agra. there to lie until the land is at
peace. Thus if the rebels won he would
have his money, but ii the company
conquer mis- jewels would be saved
to him. Having thus divided his
hoard he threw himself into the cause
of the Sepoys, since they were strong
upon his borders. By doing this, mark
you, sahib, his property becomes the
due of those who have been true to
their salt.
This pretended merchant, who
travels under the name of Achmet, is
now in the city of Agra, and de-
sires to gain his way into the fort. He
has with him as travelling con- panion
nv foster-brother Dost-Akbar, who
knows his secret. Dost-Akbar has
promised this night to lead him to a
side-postern Of the fort, and has chosen
this one for his purpose. Here he will
come presently and here he will
find Mahomet Singh and myself await
ing him. The plac, is lonely. and none
shall know of his coming. The world
shall know of the merchant Achnct no
more. but the great treasure OF the
rajah shall be divided alnnag US What
say YOU to it. sahib?'
In Worcestershire the life of man
seems a great and a sacred thing: but
it is very different when there is fire
and blood al! round You and You have
been used 10 meeting death II every
turn Whether Achrnct the merchant
lived or died was Il tlt;:i:r - lirht u az
II me hut at The tab about tie treas
urc NIX heart -urncd % it..and thought
II y.ll;lt | might DO il, the old country
9Th - AND how n.y. fol IL, yf,r,l ~t.,,.,.