The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-06

!: THE PURPLE GOD. !;
Bv WILLIAM MURRAY GRAYDON. Copyright 1909. @
!. 60 -o-0-o-o-@-0-c-O-o-o-S


he said. "Delhi will mot fall until octo-
| ber."
That night there was cannonading at In
tervals. and for the next three days the
siege was carried on with obstinate and
4 unfaltering determination. Ono heard
continually the clatter and rumble OF fall
Ing stones and the explosion Of shells
fired from guns nearer the ridge. as they
dropped and burst inside the city BY
dawn of the 18th a second battery had
| been erected In front of Ludlow Castle,
only 500 yards from the Cashmere gate.
The 18th saw more batteries thrown up
by the dauntless besiegers, and all that
day and night and from morning TIL
Ndark of the 18th, fifty guns and mortars
| pounded away viciously at the massive
walls, holding their own In spite of heavy
1 losses and terrible counter fire from
| the bastions.
| In the secluded old house near the
| Chandney Choke life went on much as
| usual, In the same monotonous channel.
| Jack was kept fairly well Informed. but
the news that filtered through to him
| contained no assurance Of speedy VIC
tory for Nicholsons gallant force. and no
was disposed to believe the Hindoos con
fdent statement that Delhi was still i'm
| pregnable.
| Govind Punt was absent for the greater
| part o feach day. and every night no took
| the same precautions about locking up,
| though he had seen nothing more OF tho
| spy who resembled Joel Spanish.
| The 18th. 1t Will be remembered. was
| the date fixed for tho next meeting with
Zeenut. and Jack was holly impatient to
| know the result of It. Govind Punt re-
turned late in the afternoon, ate hnr-
! ried meal and left at nghtfall to keep
| his tryst at the rajah's garden
| The minutes now seemed like hours to
the young officer, as he paced the floor
restessly, while the British guns con-
tinued to pour their iron hail at the Mo-
rec and Cashmere bastions.
| At 10 O'Clock the fire ceased abruptly on
| both Sides. and very strange and welcome
/ was the silence. which was broken only
| by muified clamor and shouting from the
| Chandney Choke and other avenues of the
| city. An hour dragged by. and 1t was
| past II when the Itindoo returned. He
! entered the room. carrying n lamp IN one
hand and in tho other tiny scroll of
paper.
''zeenut did not fall me-" he said. "and
this time I have brought you written
message, sahib."
Jack snatched the letter eagerly, and
holding 1t to the light no read the few
| lines that 1t contained, scrawled on a
coarse bit Of paper In Madge's familiar
hand,
Unless you can help me. am lost"
| the girl wrote. II would have sent you
word before. but wished to spare you
| the pain as long as possible. For come
weeks tho traitor. Joel Spanish. has per-
secuted mo with hateful attentions as
| often as he could find a pretext for COM
ing to nay apartments.
my refusals to listen to him, the
| scorn and adherence that cannot hide.
| have turned him Into n hend, and he
/ now swears that he will XIII me with
his own hand on the day that the city
is taken. rather than permit me to be
rescued. He boasts that he will obtain
Al 49, q 70.
| man Raghava. who became one of the
kings advisers in July. and Is said to
stand high IN royal favor. Think OF the
| agony I suffer. daily and hourly! Zeenut
Is very kind, and would help me II she
| could, but 1t Is not In her power. can
not appeal to Chandra Singh. for he Is
| continually at the palace and his daugh.
| ter Is not permitted to visit me.
I'm you Is my only hope, and that is
SO frail reed l dare not trust to It'll
fear death less than I do Joel Spanish.
| and have a little dagger concealed In
my bosom which will give me relief at
the last moment. May God comfort and
save you. dear Jack! Farewell. II 1t Is
| his will that we should never meet again
in this unhappy world!"
| The young officer read to the end.
though every word burned like a hot
iron soaring his brain. and misty spots
| danced before his eyes The message
was bolt from the blue-a cruel. crash.
| ing strickland as he grasped Its full
import. the CHASTITY peril hitherto I'M
dreamed of. he drew Kissing, painting
breath, and a sound that was scarcely
human fell from his lips.
| He crumpled tho letter between his fin
gers He turned fercely on Govind Punt,
| and clutched his shoulder In a Yise-like
| grip.
"You-must have known OF this!" he
cried hoarsey. why did you keep me
| In ignorance?"
II knew something of It, sahib," con-
fessed the Hindoo, who was quakng with
| fear but for your own sake did not
tell you. 1 wished to spare you the
knowledge as long as possible"
In voice that faltered and broke fire..
| auently, Jack touched on the main points
OF the letter.
1T is all true. then?" he demanded.
Even so, Fame sahb I heard 1t from
| Zeenut. Joel Spanish and theycrafty Rag
| hava hate the memsahib bitterly. and
they are greatly to be feared. But the
| time 10 not yet
Tho time to save her Is now-now!
| This, very night! Let there be no delay
! You must help me--those are the terms
! OF our compact. We must find some means
of stealing the English girl away from
| the rajahs house, and then, IL It Is i'm
\ li'oflbic W t5tupc lIpIH INC CITY, she must
| share my refuge under your roof. Think
| Of her peril! Those two scoundrels In
league to shed her innocent blood. and
doubt not that Chandrn Slngh's daugh-
ter hates her as venomously.''
| II am the sahibs willing servant
answered Govind Punt II will do all in
my power, and, indeed there Is no rea-
son TO despair. WithAeenuts help much
may be accomplished. and will seek
an interview with her Tomorrow
| Tomorrow! That may be too late!"
i beg the sahlb to be reasonable. 1t is
lno easy task We must take time to
consider our plans and to work them
| out" &
but the city may fall at any hour"
creid Jack. as he trod the floor like a
Gagged tiger
mot so. snhlb," Govnd Punt declared
earnestly with shrug of his shoulders.
! "On my why home T went to the vicin-
| ity of the Cashmere gate to inquire for
the latest news, The British have done
| little or no damage. In spite of the four
| dave nlphts nf al ty,cn nj