The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-10
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
CHAPTER I,
THE NANA'S GUEST.

s'gt544 THE NANA'S GUEST.
zone might be in the heart OF TIT
rreraI. from the looks of this bit of coun
try. It's uncommonly wild and lonely
You are sure you know just where W.
are, Spanish" :.
81 ought to, sir, was CHARTERED II
the nelghborhood for seven years on
der river. the Jarree. flows into the
Ganees eight miles above Cawnpore
We have fifteen miles yet to CO.
,.Then we are some place In the ylcin
9tty OF Bthoor, the residence of the Mana
Sahlb?" j. !,
1T is about two leagues distant, sir.
so far as that2 If 1t was nearer
should be tempted to invite myself tc
tiffin with his highness the Nana--they
tell me at Cawnpore that ne is noteu
for his hospitality to the Engiishi TOW
Internally warm 1t Is. SPANISH thlnR
comfort we can find. until the day gets
u little cooler"
q with that, Lieutenant John Fame. com.
monty called Jack. checked his horse and
swung lightly out OF the saddle 10 the
ground. The stamped regmental but
TONS. which glittercd on the linen undress
uniforms of master and man, showed that
2 they belonged to the Bengal fuslliers.
The young officer was barely twenty
three, with a tall, weD-knit figure. blonde
hair, and florid complexion. and a
handsome boyish face that was not lack
did horseman, a oool hand with rifle
d or q hogspear his fearless nature temper
ed with a soupcon OF darhg-Jack
Fame was a favorite with men and women
alike.
p HIS body servant, Joel Spanish. was a
wiry man Of forty, taaiturn and respect
full, who obeyed orders and attended 10
q his duties like machine.
His ebony mustaohes curled as fiercely
= as any n1ahratta sowar's, and his dusky
I N,,l ll oNty NJ q
were inherited from his Rajput motheri
his father had been n disgrnced man, q
broken officer and gentleman. who sank
after his fall to the level of the native
bazarr.
55' So much by way OF Introduction. The
time was late in the year 1856, and the
place was a lonely district In the north
"a west provinces IT was only within
month or two that lieutenant Fame had
moved up country with his regiment from
Calcutta to Cawnpore, 80 In trying TO
shorten the journey on ms return urn from II, ON
self OF the guidance and experiences OF
Joel Spanish, whose knowledge OF the
Jungle roads was faultless.
.Af'7 Great events often hinge on the. trifltns
things Of life, and had the young officer
s1ourneyed back to Cnwnpore by the beat
an track in all probability his career
would have been brought to an untimeiy
ending in the near future. day was to
come when he would realize this ana
wonder at the strange workings OF rate;
las likely a spot as we can ma, sir
said Joel Spanish,
IS.syas 7 think So" Jack assented, as
he unshoudered his rife and loosened
his belt. There ought to be big game
about here
.It,s fine cover for tigers. Ever shoot
no. I'VE never HAD the chance, Span
f,eh That's a pleasure I'm looking for
ward to-"
At present, however, the young ot1icer
was not thinking Of bagging tigers or
/. anything else. He was hungry and
thirsty, and a nearby mango-tope Of
Tered tempting shade. From ono of his
saddle-bags he produced biscuits. chut-
ney and cold fowl, and silver flask OF
Madeira, which repast he proceeded to
share with Spanish who had meanwhile
tied the horses.
1t was about the middle OF the morn
Ing. and the heal. was very oppressive in
suite of the dense foliage overhead. that
Intercepted most Of the SUMS rays.
TO one side of the bride path stretched
scrubby growth Of jungle, a sort Of a
nullah, Banked right and left by rising
ground, covered with groves of teak and
peepul, oleander and bantam, with bright
colored creepers twining around the
trunks.
ION the other side, down rather abrupt
slope. frnged with tall grass and reeds.
the deep and rapid waters OF the Jauee
roursed along their narrow channel to-
ward tho mighty Ganges. A couple OF
,lerons stood solemnly on q spit of land
in midHtream, surveying the white peh-
bleR and sun-bleached bones at their feet,
and several vultures lowered over q hu-
man corpse that was floating with the
tide.
The air wis heavy with the scent Of
tube roses and orange blossoms, and blue
the trees,
Luncheon and a oheroot finished, Jack
Owed deeper into tho shade OF the mango
tcpe, beat about warily for snakes, and
then stretched himself on the grass, with
his sun helmet for pillow.
His eyes We're shut and he was drop
ping off to sleep, when he was aroused
by an exclamation from Joel Spanish:
Pardon me. sir, but did you hear that?'
~ heard nothing" Jack answered
browsily; ''what was it?'
1.-THE trumpeting Of an elephant
"a wild one?''
"Quite likely, sir"
Wide awake now Jack sprang to his
feet md seized his rife, Just then n
shrll. raspng noise echoed through the
Jungle. startlingly close at hand, and
WAS blended the next instant with blood
curdling roar, Moro trumpeting followed,
and the crack OF firearms and hoarse
shouting swelled tho tumut,
tits tiger hunt cried Jack. I'D
give half a years pay to be in II, What
q row they're making! Stripes appears
to be showing fight"
Something is wrong. SIR" exclaimed
Spanish. 'Iisten!"
Something wAa wrong-very much so.
THE exciting shouting of the heaters,
which had suddenly dwindled to a low
,nurmuring. was succeeded by q crash
Ing, plunging noise that drew rapidly
nearer.
The very earth seemed to shake; the
fall of sapings and the ripping and
rending of tangled vegetation could be
distinguished above other sounds. The
fact tina, nothing was TO De seen as yet
added weird horror 10 tho situation.
'.rhey are coming this way-down the
nullahl'' cried Jack. 'l3y Joye, what
does II mean?"
The horses, stricken With terror, firBt
trembled and snorted and then began
to rear and plunge. Spanish ran &c
seize them.
.'Better look for shelter. sir" hs