The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-08-20

ns 1t fell on the two white heaps that
lay still and motionless among the
ferns and flowers that encroached upon
the road.
"We have all to the.lk you, Mr.. Hall,
for a most important service very ably
carried out" said the colonel, coming
up behind me.
"Don't speak of il, colonel" / said;
sit is really my machine that deserves
the thanks. / guess you'll have to in
troduce the bicycle into India for mill
tary purposes"
For some purposes can see IL would
he invaluable" he answered, gravely.
AS he spoke i could see that his eye
dwelt anxiously oushe limited view be-
fore us.
"What do you suppose these fellows
will do next, colonel?" 1 asked. after
moments pause. "Do you suppose they
will attack us here?"
"No; certainly not with any idea Of
storming the place" he said, decidedly.
"Indeed, / am utterly at "a loss to un-
derstand the business. can only
som, and yet nowadays that kind Of
thing is almost unknown" AS he spoke
DE turned away and crossed the court
yard to where little group of officers
were standing, discussing the situation
in low tones. Ny eyes glanced absently
along the edge OF the fringe of Jungle
which bounded the view, when sudden
~ they were arrested by the glimmer of
something white among the green, and
fhe next moment there was a sharp
"ping" in the air close TO me and bull
Jet struck the stone arch just over my
head.
"Ahl" exclaimed the colonel, II
thought SO. gentlemen. In the mean
time, Mr.. Hall, pray come under shelter
there seems TO be some fair shots
among them
/ Iadoptedsthe suggestion, and strolled
over towards the little party of perhaps
D dozen men with whom the colonel was
talking. As came nearer them the first
words / heard were from one of the
younger officers. "Excuse me, Col. Matt
land, but it would be quite impossible;
surely one of ourselves" The colonel
glanced round quickly as II to impose
silence on the group, and then turned
to me as / came up. There was a look
Of annoyance and anxiety on his fra nk,
soldierly face, as he said: Forgive
Iuc. Mr.. Hall, for introducing your narne
behind your back in a matter like this.
IL is more than due you that / should
take you into my confidence at once.
The fact is, / am in n serious difficulty,
as you can see. We must communicate
with the troops ct once, but the difficult
~ Is how to do IL. These fellows won't
attack US here-at any rate not in day
light--and they probably rely upon
starving US into some kind of terms.
Jt is important, not only that we should
be- relieved. but that this kind OF thing
should be put an end 10 at once for oil.
a single company, or, at the most, two,
OF the Ghoorkas from Koondewalla
would do II in half an hour, IL we could
only let them know"
"I'll ride down, coionel!" said the
young man who had spoken before,
eagerly; my horse is only too fresh,
and he'd do IT in two hours at the out
side.r
"Your horse, Mr.. Chambers, Is gray.
II am not mistaken--what chance DO
you suppose either you OF he would
hive of getting through? MOI have
thought OF al that, and am convinced
t',t IL is hardly possible on hor,cbnck
Tho only hope would be on foot, or
ard here the colonel paused uneasily.
81 guess the bicycle would have het-
ter chance still. wouldn't~it, colonel?"
said.
THAT was the very remark was MAX
ing as you came up, Mr.. Hall, only some
OF us are inclined TO think IL unfair that
nli the honors Of war saould fall 20 YOU"
''Oh, as 10 the honors, colonel, I'm not
rr rticuIar about them. but IL strikes me
--,-4l,rs all la the same boat and the point
" who has the best chance Of gettingto 10
shore. When all's said and done,
colonel, guess that's me-
The colonel turned 10 me and held out
his hard cordially. 81 knew you'd say
40 he said. ''and thank you from my
tod, sir. OF course here Is danger
great danger, I'm afrai', even with your
bieyclc--but there catnot be doubt