Santa Fe daily New Mexican., 1897-09-24
HIS REVENGE.

Sergeant Dick Doubleday was, think,
about the most reserved and reticent man
I ever met with, either in or out of the
service. He was fine fellow-yigorous,
tall and we'll developed in figure; black
haired, with eyes full of fire; dark, we'll
defined eyebrows, and features sharp and
grave-.a man with past, you would say
after slight scrutiny, and a past un-
Of the saddest was there in the
life of poor Sergeant Dick Doubleday.
A splendid soldier, attentive and obedi-
ent to his superiors and kind and generous
with those beneath him, yet withal so
stern and reserved was he that many al
most Stunned him, while others held him
In awe and dread, the few sobriquets were
given sufficiently indicating the character
the man bore among his comrades, who
were wont to call him Dead and Alive
Doubleday, Moody Doubleday, Dumb
Doubleday, and a dozen other such appel
lations.
1t was toward the close of a beautiful
day that, after long march along dusty
roads, portions Of jungle and through
swollen stream, we had come to a halt,
making preparations to bivouao in large
open glade with little sparkling rivulet
running along one side of it, thick jun
gle on the other and precipitous range
of mountainous hills at the back.
Having left Poonah early that morning,
after our long and toilsome march it was
with exquisite relief that we gathered
round the bivouao fires.
Sitting on small mound little apart
from my comrades l was busily engaged
loading my pipe for whiff when was
startled and surprised at the sudden ap-
pearance of Dick Doubleday, who, very
pale and his large black eyes cleaning
with lurid fire, exclaimed as he placed his
hand on my shoulder: Corporal Evans,
do you mind leaving the camp along with
mep / want some one as chum, and you
are the only one Of the battalion that
care about-that's to say, as friend.
Starting to my feet, of course express
ed my pleasure and willingness to join
him, though was as much surprised as
should have been had our Scotch colonel
asked me to dance q highland reel with
him, my astonishment increasing as he,
in low, hoarse voice, told me to bring
my rifle with mel
"You may have to stain your bayonet
before we come back, Ned" These words
and the deadly pallor upon the usually
swart features Of the stolid sergeant COM
pletely astounded me.
"What ON earth's in the wind?"
thought, as, catching up my rifle and
carrying it carelessly under my arm, fol-
lowed Doubleday, who had now begun to
climb the precipitous side Of the rocky
eminence at the back of the camp.
No words were spoken until we gained
the summit of the steep, and then, sitting
down upon bowlder of rock that was
covered and surrounded with tall Indian
grass, the sergeant, pointing to the fires
in the bivouao below, exclaimed senten-
tiously, "We are safe here, Ned Evans
from prying eyes or eager earsP'
"You may bet any sum on that, SER
geant. There'll be no ramblers from camp
tonight. They are all too tired after the
days march,"
''You did not allow that to deprive me
of your company when I solicited 1T just
now"
"Only too glad to join you, Doubleday. :"
II am sure of that. You are different
from all the rest. That is why am going
to relate dark page in the history Of my
life. Dead and Alive Doubleday they call
me. What would they have been had they
beheld the sight I did in this aocursed
country ten years ago?"
caught my breath nervously and fairly
quivered with pain and excitement.
was about to hear the secret The poor
sergeant had selected me as the one In
DO OF &c. OF
He was going to reveal some dread inci-
dent in his career hitherto buried with
deepest reticence in his bosom. Then, as
l gazed at the stern, set face, the COM
pressed lips, the knitted brow, and recalled
the words uttered shortly before, "You
may have to stain your bayonet before we
come backl ~ Iasked myself whaton earth
was the mystery. The sergeant knew
was bold and daring to reoklessness, and
also that felt closer friendship for him
than any one in the regiment. Evidently
there was some dangerous project in view,
and felt proud and exultant, admit.
that I, of all our fellows, should have been
chosen to join in his enterprise and be
trusted with the relation of his past.
Illuminating thus as I gazed at the bright
moon and then down below at the ruddy,
Pickering watch fires, I was aroused by
my companion from my temporary reverie,
as, In low, hoarse voice, he began his
dread tale.
sit is six years since first saw you,
when you came out with that draft from
England and joined us at Bombay, and ii
was ten years this very month, Ned
Evans, since beheld my young bride Of Il
few hours only, and young and loved
sister vilely maltreated, dishonored and
done to death before my eyes,.
A stifled sob here choked the unhappy
sergeant's utterance, who, as was about
to condole with him, placed his hand upon
my arm and resumed: "We were lying at
Bangalore My sister, who had been all.
Ing slightly, was well and happy'on my
wedding day. My young bride was oil
orphan, the daughter Of Indian parents,
but with no relatives living to say her
nay gave me her hand in preference to ac-
cepting as husband native who long
had pressed his suit upon her. This de-
mon, as I was strolling with my loved sis.
ter and my young wife mile or more from
Bangalore on the night Of my marriage,
set upon us, and, aided by dozen Of the
tribe, succeeded In overpowering and bind
ing me to tree. Then, while one Of hif
allies seized in his arms my shrieking sis
ter, Zadah Timour, my aocursed rival,
with shout Of aendish glee, secured my
loved Nourmahal in his detested embrace.
What followed I dare not tell Several
times In wild aud mad horror closed my
eyes on the devilish scene, but even this
mercy was denied me, knives being thrust