The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-22

! THE PURPLE GOD. !
BY WILLIAM MURRAY GRAYDoN. Copyright 1909.
o-oS

scores OF throats made itself heard dis.
tinctly.
MY God It is mutiny-revoltl" the
young officer cried aloud. "The sepoU
are numbering their ofilcersl"
CHAPTER XII.
MID FLAME AND SHOT.
me cackllng OF goose saved ancient
itome from destruction, and q woman's
tongue prccipitated tho revolt OF the Ben.
gal native army.
very brief depression from the thread
OF tho story will mako clear to the reader
what happened at Meerut on that terrible
Sabbath evening,
Between and o'clock, as tho British
Boloiers and civilians were on their way
TO church sepoy trooper staggering
through the town baznars, threw a light
KISS at n painted and benowered Hindoe
girl who was lollng over the balcony.
II take no kiss from such as YOU" shs
rerlied, with stingins mockery IN hef
voice. Coward! Where are your com.
rndes Hassan?,
The Sepoy understood and his face dark.
ened; many similar ta,ints and sneers he
had borne patiently during tho last fow
days.
But now 1t was different. He had been
drinking heavily, and his temper was a
hrebrand, ready for the match. With an
oath he rushed off towards tho barracks,
shouting wildly.
ITO horsel TO horse. comrades no the
rescue OF our prosecuted brothersi"
II was done beyond rccall-done by z
scathlng word flung carelessy from (
womnn's lips The cry spread gathered
fury and passion as 1t ran from mouth
to mouth.
Within an Incredibly brief space of TING
ments were assembled riosously on the
parade ground. where they shot down
their commanding officer. Colonel F'innist
before they broke into open revolt.
And meanwhile the troopers OF tho Third
Native Light Cavalry mounted and rodS
to the Jail. burst the doors and released
their condemned comrades and turned
loose with them more than 1000 Of thu
lowest types OF criminas-thieves and
lnnrderers. dacoits and thugs.
Deem! Deen!" rang the awful cry thai
was to echo shortly from end to end Of
India. "Slay and spare notl Tho raj Of
the feringhce is pastl''
CHAPTER XII.
Mutineers and rabble swept on to tho
cantonment and the town. Soon thu
barracks were blazing and from burn.
Ing houses and bungalows lurid masses
Of flame rose to the blood-red skies.
Bayonet md muskct stock sabcr and
tulwnr did their nerciless work. Men,
women and children were rIthlessly
slain. and very few were able to escape.
Then. flushed with triumph and ani-
mated by common purpose. the re.
VOTED troops-the Third Cavalry and
the Eleventh and Twentieth Regiments
Of infantry-took the road to Delhi.
leaving tho released felons to carr on
their orgies Of looting and murder with
free hand.
And the European soldiers OF the gar-
rison-whero were they? History has
no satisfactory answer to the question:
no explanation OF the blunder.
But 1t may be said here that the
Dragon Guards. after losing themselves
4 In the smoky haze and going several
miles astray, finally stumbled upon tho
parade ground and found there tho Fusi-
lers and the Horse Artillery waiting for
instructions.
There was no one to give orders and
on the parade ground they all remained.
bvouackiny under arms. through that
dreadful night. Had they pursued tha
rebels. rs they might have done and
were strong enough to do the story OF
the great mutiny would have made quite
different reading.
To return to Lieutenant Fame. whom
we left at some distance from Meerut.
and Just at the moment when the calm
OF the evening was shattered by tho rat
tie OF musketry and the swelling clamoi
OF savage voices.
He knew we'll what they meantime
surrection. murder and tho rescue OF thu
condemned native troopers. The shocA
fairly stunned him at first and then hd
remembered TINT his place OF DUTY was
with his men: that he must Join his cons
pany OF the Fusiliers.
But would that be possible7 he aaked
himself, doubtfuIy. He set Oft at run,
tearing blindly through the reeds and
vegetation. and never thinking OF dnn-
ger from any OF his pursuers who might
be lurking about. 1t was now quite
dark. but within ten or fifteen minutes
he had an uncrring guide to mark his
way-the red glare that was spNadns
over the stnrry sky.
Suddenly the sparse tract OF Jungle
ended, and he emerged on tho white.
dusty surface OF the Delhi road, at
point nearly half mile to the south OF
the environments. The tumult In front
OF him was by this time horrid pande-
monium. as II the very lower regions
had broken loose
To venture any further without some
definite knowledge Of what was taking
place, Jack reflected, would be more
than risky. He climbed thirty feet into
n tall tree, and from that altitude could
look over the Lowell country
(To be Contlnued)