The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-21
CHAPTER x.
THE STROKE or MIDNIGHT.


THE STROKE or MIDNIGHT.
Cut the ferlnghee down!'' snarlcd the
NIaulavi.
For the most part they appeared to be
unarmed. but there were two oxcep-
lions. Joel Spanish unsheathed muir
demonstrating sword and Mohametan
In n zumindar's dress behind him drew
pistol.
Now. IL ever. seemed the moment for
tho fugitive to effect his escape. while
tho coast was clear down the passage
to tho right. But his blood was UP, and
n mad impulse urged him to wrelk q
salutary punishment on the renegade
fusiler. He whipped out his tulwar and
made II dash forward.
You traitor!" he cried. "1'll settle
you, anyway"
Joel Spanish was no coward, but he
was n poor swordsmun. His guard was
quickly broken through. and slash
from the tulwar opened his right arm to
the bone. With howl OF pain he fell
back. his antagonist pressing upon him
for n second blow.
The zernindar courageously pushed be-
tween the two. and levelcd his pistol al
most in the Engllshman's face. But the
tulwar struck the weapon from his hand
before he could fire It, and the next In
slant the keen blade cleft him between
the neck and shoulder, and was forced
at the feet Of Chandra Singh.
"a hundred rupees for tho feringhee's
hend!" cried tho rajah, almost speech
less with rage.
Five hundred!" shouted Aim Utah.
That some one would earn the reward.
and that within very short time.
seemed only too probable to Jack. But
that time was not yet. and he was re-
solved to put 1t OFF an long as possible,
IL. indeed. he could not avert 1t alto
gcther.
There was chance OF that. he felt.
The bulldog courage OF his race, the
thought Of what depended on him.
stceled his nerves and made him set his
teeth hard. He turned on his heel ana
plunged Mt the doorway.
The soldier whom he had knocked
down was at his feet, furnhlng for his
weapon, but at the sight OF the ferin-
ghee's terrible countenance and reeklng
tulwar he stumbled back with yen OF
fright.
Jack lunged at him ineffectively.
sprang past him, and dived into the
dark, turning to his left-the one that
faced tho room. a shrill camor fol-
lowed him. and Chandra singh's voice
was the loudest of all. The servant.
cropping In the broken glass and spilled
champagne, chimed In with hearty exc
era lions on tho infidel dog.
Tho passage was dark and long. and
whittier 1t would conduct him Jack had
not tho relnotest idea The hue and cry
rang behind him as he sped on blindly.
missing the walls by instinct a heavy
curtain confused him for an instant.
Then no was on the other side OF It.
and n glImmer OF light from lamps
placed ut intervals gave him better
| advantage.
He turned to the right. to the left, 70
the right again, encountering nobody III
his path Tho pursuit echoed In the rear
| anG apparently nearer than 1t had beer
| at tho start. when he entered a small
apartment that was n cul-de-sac, ex-
cept for a long, low window screened by
| gold wire,
TOO late to retrace his steps: the pat
| terIng feet were coming closer, and the
| clamor was waking responses IN othcr
| quarters of the palace,
The tulwar! lie hacked and stabbed
at the costly screen. ripped q great gan
| In half "a dozen strokes; then he WAS
| through 1.-THE never knew how--and a
| short drop landed him on tagged Walk
| 4 nnle crescent of a moon was SHINING
| ovorhead and before him stretched the
deem purple shade of the inclosed gar
| dcns.
"rhe sahlb Is my prlsoner" exclaimed
| q mocking, triumphant voice.
| 1t belonged to the haVlldnr 6hu'an'
| who mao IllluS IL SWiiS civ
proach, and was standing with icVeiee
carbne. IF he flattered himself that inc
| Engllshman was unarmed, no was speeal-
Inv undece,ged The barrel of Jacks Pts
| tol cleaned as 1t rose. There was q
| fash and a report. and bullet severed
| the Ilindoo's jugular vein, His gun iell
| With a crash to the marble pavement
and lie dropped beside 1t IN writing,
| shapeless heap.
The young officer felt no remorse, &c
| attain his object he would have sacrl'
| flced one hundred lives. He flung away
the empty pistol and snatched up the car
| bine, leaped over the havildar's body and
| bounded on into tho welcome darkness
| of the garden.
Aimlessly he tore through tho oleanders
and lemon trees, the clumps OF peepu!
ana feathery bamboos, gulping the cool
re- n,m-the cir OF freedoRi-into ms
lungs,
lie slipped waist-deep into tank coy,
| cred with flowers OF the lotus. ane
! slashea across to the far side IN Z
spot where no moonlight penetrated hf
paused to listen He heard behind nm
a rustic of feet, the hoarse voices OF MI
enemies shouting to ORC another,
| nIf I can't escape he vowed, theS
shan't take mo alive!"
He fully realized that he had scarcely
| a ghost of chance, He knew nothing
whatever of the gardens or their posi-
| ton, hut he had some faint hope Of
/ finding a gate that would open or q wal
| that he could scale.
| He pushed on, trying to keep a stralgh