The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-22
CHAPTER XII.
CHURCH BELLS WE'RE

ceeded by chilling doubts. He had a
Journey OF 10 miles before him. not al
lowing for detours. and 1t was certain
| that his enemies would expect him TO
! aim for Meerut, and that they would
| spare no pains to intercept and capture
him.
The chief Incentive to that end was
1 the fact that he possessed the secret or
the great conspiracy. and VENGEANCE
came next. lie had gained his freedom
at the cost OF much bloodshed. and me
tulwar, clotted with gore, had lost the
power Of rafting In It's scabbard.
| ITS like n hideous DREAM he re-
| flected. And nll In "a short hoursV'
| The silver horn Of tho moon flooded
the grain fields with soft radiance
Amid the quiet. peaceful beauty OF the
night under the starry vault OF the
summer sky, 1t was difficult for him to
| grasp tho reality Of the things he had
| seen and done SO recently.
] The giant mass OF the rock OF Jhala-
| pur. dark as indigo. faded to 80 south
ward as he rapidly continued his flight.
1t was n vague blur on the horizon. two
or three miles behind him. when he
| reached tho borders OF the Jungle.
| And none too soon A low. muffled
sound. swelling gradually In the rear.
told him that horsemen were hot on
his trail He plunged into the tangled
| forest without a thought of the Wild
animals that made 1t their home. Hun
cry tigers would be dangerous to meet.
| but they were preferable to Chandra
singh's human brutes.
| However, tho fierce denizens of the
| jungle kept their distance from him,
| though ne heard them bowling more
THIN once. Guided solely by such In
| frequent gllmpses OF the moon and stars
as he could catch, he pressed on Tor
hours. conquering fatigue by sheer force
of wildly the squirting memory OF what
depended on his reaching Meerut.
He deslgnedy avoided the noighbor
reasons than one he wished to go there.
and Estcourt would have given him a
horse and an escort. But the risk was
too great; he knew that his pursuers
would credit him with Just that inten-
ton.
The night was over at last, and IN the
cool grey dawn he came to patch OF
clearing by pool Of water, where STOOD
the humble hut OF grass cutter. He
purchased breakfast OF rice and chu-
pattes from the low caste Hindoo. glad
dened his heart with q couple OF rupees.
and bound him by sacred oath to hold
hts tongue.
"How far is 1t to Meerut?' he inquir-
ed
-Four cosscs. sahfb." was the unex-
pected reply.
fOurE EOEBGb-eIkHt 1>lBlle
"Td have sworn ] was nearer than
that" thought Jack, Il must have trav-
eled In pretty crooked line"
He made sure OF his bearings, and
took to the Jungle again. The ravening
creatures OF the night had skunk to their
lairs, and on all sides no was greeted
by tho chaterng OF monkeys and parrots.
The sun. mounted higher and higher IN
the coppery sky. and tho heat began to
grow oppressive.
It was yet comparatively early in the
morning, when he had pushed through
brake and timber for couple OF miles.
that he heard shout at no great dis
lance to the rear. 1t drew response
from some quarter of to the left.
THAT scoundrel Of grass cutter has
betrayed me-" Jack concluded. Wrathful-
ly. Tho thnnlslcss cur! What am to 90
now?"
A spreading banyan tree offered the
safest protection. and he was soon hid
den In the Wery heart OF It n dozen feet
above the ground a crotch formed ny
half dozen thick boughs made him
comfortable seat, and he was shaded
by dense green canopy OF foliage
He needed shelter badly. for in short
time the rnjah's sleuth hounds were all
around him. He saw the transient GIT
ter Of cold stecl--the sparkle OF the sun
OF mounted matchbox men passed d.
rectly beneath him. and three sowars
Of the bodyguurd rode by within as many
yards.
He gathered from their scraps OF con-
yersation that other small squads OF
searchers had pressed on to lurk In the
vicinity OF Rnmpora and to watch the
approaches to Meerut.
The echo Of the chase, the sound OF
hoof and voice. died away In the dis
lance. It was the dry, torrid season or
the year. when between sunrise and sun
set Europeans, lie in darkened rooms
with servants slnicing the window mats
and pulling the punkak strings.
The intense heat made Jacks eyes
heavy. He tied himself fast with his
belt, threw his head back, and was
quickly lost to consciousness.
EIe slept long and soundly and when
he nwoke he saw by the SUMS slantihg
rays that evening was near at hand. He
listened for n few moments. but the jun
gle wns silent. and peaceful. except for
the chirping of birds and the noise OF
monkeys at play He climbed to the
ground, took his bearings, and set or
in the direction of Meernt.
"I'll reach there Just about dark" he
reflected when 1t will be easy to slip
by any of Chandra singh's fellows who
may Dc/UIl tHe NuttIi. AllcS WIN WIN
ture very near to the town"
He had yet about six miles to travel,
and as he was unwilling to take the
slightest risk. he kept to the tangled fast
nesses of the Jungle and avoided anything
like the sembance of a trodden path
He was hungry and thirsty. and his
bruised head throbbed duly with pain,
but the thought OF his secret sustained
him. Kissing strpents glided out of his
path and the distant roar Of tiger.
troubled him for moment. He pushed
on unmolested,
He had put three miles and moro boz
hind him whom he came to .lsnSndrk
that WAS familiar to him-a clump OF
gray powders near which he Mad speared
grssly old bear few weeks previous
Presently tho jungle grew thin and
patchy anf he began to practice what
knowledge of woodcraft he had picked
up from re dskins and voyageurs In Can
ada.
The day was Sunday and that fact
was suddenly horne to his mind by