The times., 1901-06-02

I TdUEE, IUTUIOsC thpm Was
Aim Boola in his yellow satin, and they
were looking at the top of the bastion
| and laughing.
He could hear voices from his place at
! the embrazure. and the sound of pick and
shovel coming from above
1T is all over now.r he muttered star
, ing blankly into space. They are dig
| ging us OUT"
Blankinsop's watch had run down, but
! counting by the sun. Ducie had been gone
! two whole days and three nights for it
was morning again. and he smiled Bit
terly as he watched the early dawn creep
/ ing into the vault revealing the worn-out
/ form of his wife sleeping fitfuIly with the
| children nesting beside her
The mutineers had ceased their work
/ overhead at sunset, and he had made a
! careful calculation of the time it would
! take them to penetrate through the sol
! i'll masonry, ages old. When they had
done so the end was Inevitable, but they
! would not accomplish it that day, he
| thought.
! 1t was question of food then; he him
self was sick for want of it, but there
were Mousie and the little ones!
| He went on tiptoe. lest he should wake
| them, to the corner where they had
placed the fragments he had gathered in
to the tablecloth, and his heart sank at
| the sight.
| A very little bread. and that hard and
stale; two bananas. n small quantity of
! burgundy in the heel of a bottle, and
about as much Bass; his sentiments as he
| glared wildly round him would have CIV
| en- points to a century of atheism, yet
Blenkinsop was good man.
He was so ravenous that he had hoped
there might have been bite for him, but
| il was not to be, and. as Mousie stirred
and sat up with a start. he wrapped up q
| large stone in his handkerchief and let
her see It.
This is our very last ration, dearl" he
said with a weary face, placing 1t with
great care in hole in the wall, we II
l Ia NlnF nh
assortment If the children are awake. I've
had mine. for / positively couldn't waitt'
Then the pick and shovel began again,
overhead, and continued at intervals all
day.
Blenkinsop BECAME a little light head
ed toward the afternoon. 1t developed
into a fiendish desire to slay, and be
gratified it: for an incautiOuS SepOy-the
same who had murdered Mainwaring. ad-
Vanced with overmuch boidness to re-
peat his former prowess; Blenkinsop
poured the contents of the dead boy s ele-
phant gHn into him, literally blowing his
head off.
After that he felt better.
But it came at last.
What all-wise purpose there was under
lying that terrible denouement | cannot
understand; the only mercy of 1t was, the
actual tragedy itself was sudden!
Three times during the afternoon stones
and earth had fallen from the roof, and
Blenkinsop could now distinguish the con-
versation of the exulting mutineers-
The mattock and spade ceased altogeth-
er, about the setting of the sun. and he
waited, strangely calm, clinging. not to
his own life, but to the lives of the three
helpess beings who Sere all the world 10
him.
wind sang its low dirge IN the throat of
the embrasure. 1t was quite dark outside.
Pat moaned the mother. 1t will be
too late soon. OH be brave for their
Sakpg-thpV a qgipqp Onvyif
He said nothing, but lit the scrap of
candle with the last match. and felt for
the phial of chloroform in his breast pock-
And still he stood there, irresoIute, the
light throwing his shadow back to the end
of the vault where the unconscious mites
were sleeping, and the look on his face
was the look of the hero-master who is
about to save his crew, but means to go
down with the ship.
Another stone a larger mass than be-
fore, rolled almost to their feet, and he
grasped her tightly with his left arm, his
hand pressingly strangely about her; she
knew he was feeling for her heart!
My babies; Pat!' she cried, struggling
to free herself.
An avalanche of earth, with the scram-
BILE OF feet beyond the radius of the flick
ering candle.
His finger sought the trigger of the pis-
tol she had not seen.
God forgive 1ne, Mousie-we'll soon be
after you, but l must ole lighting" And
berating. he had laid her gently down. so
strangely still now, and drawn his sword.
Hold on Blenkinsop, hold on Can't
you see me? It's l. Joe Ducie. The re-
lief II be here in few hours. but 1 couldn't
wait: I've got some brandy, and a bottle
of milk for the little oRes-eh-man-
what?'
The Guards sentry over the way. who
had been showing unusual interest in the
club window opposite for several mo-
ments, said something to the intelligent
constable returning along his beat and
the constable. after a sharp glance. went
hurriedly across the road and entered the
sacred portals.
He passed a stout gentleman of undeni-
ably martial bearing, who, mounting the
steps moment later. found the hall emp
" OF porters, and was about to anathe-
matise the entire genus in Bengai, when
one came cut quickly.
Hi, you, sir, where the dickens are
YOU running to? If Colonel Blenkinsop is
here, tell I'm I've come-General Ducie-
he expects me-"
He is here. sir stammered the man.
who wore the-Mutiny ribbon. ''at least
Will you come this way?"
And he was there: and the constable had
opened his collar, knowing all the while
1T was no use; and Ducie, kneeling be-
side him. gaZed silently into the same
Wide-staring eyes, sightless now that had
thrilled him with horror in the bastion of
hholpat, and had never ceased to haunt
him Tor more than forty years.
Gone to her at last" uttered the Cen
eral after long silence, rising slowly for
he was stiffened with ancient wounds.
Strange. too. but this is the anni,,ar-
sary;'' and he went sadly out into the
busy streets, where they were still CRYING
the news that had rung down the curtain
on That Bad Business of Blenkinsop's"
ID. II. Parry in CasseH's Magazine.