The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-10
100 e-e
. THE PURPLE GOD. !:
BY WILLIAM MURRAY GRAYDoN. Copyright


interrupted Jack, am going to pray.
And IL you will let me hold your hand"
.'Harkl What is that?"
They heard n grating noise behind them.
and as they glanced around they saw tho
| arched door begin to move. 1t swung In
| ward on its creaking hinges. and stand
| ing on the threshold, framed IN the mar
| row opening, appearod-Chandra Singh 8
| daughter.
| Her graceful figure was draped in In
dian gauze, and her raven hair clustered
about her neck and shoulders. She made
| a beautiful picture, and yet n terrible ono.
| as she stood with flushed cheeks ana burn,
ing eyes, with gold-mounted pistol
thrust into her ailken kummerDund ana
another held in her right hand.
"Zora!" Jack cried, harshly. you
here"
Tho Hindoo girl sent tho door dying
shut with n bang. Then. darting dis
dainful glance at Madge, she gldcd TO
the young officers side and laid hand
on his arm; she had pierced his disguise
at once. .
Since you would not be mine in life
she whispered fiiercely, II am come TO
die with YOU. love you. sahip, tar PEI,
ter than does that White-faced woman
"IIushl If you have spark of mercy
YOU will save us--you will help us to es-
cape
II could not II wished to-" Fora an
! swered with a hooking laugh. The door
| is closed; the spring by which IT opens ~
| on the other side. My fathers Servants
are coming, ravenous as bloodhounds. we
| will die such a death as you would WISH
| sahib--ighting to the last. And our souls
| will go to paradise together.
| 1t was an awkward situation LOT Jhch'
| but he had no time to consider IT. p!ac,
| ing himself in front Of Madge, VINO haa
| not caught the meaning OF the rev WIS,
pered words, he discarded his tuiwar ana
| drew both his pistols. The Hindoo girl
| stood at his left. her hot breath playing
| on his cheek. ~,
second or two passed Then with a
storm of yells and curses that drowned
the distant crash OF muskct and cannon,
a motley crew OF Chandra singhs retain,
crs. ten or tweleve In number. swhr1ned
suddenly into the ante-room:.
death to the feringhees!" cried joel
snnnlsh. who was among the foremost.
But the sight of the rajah's daughter.
side by side with the two hated inhdeis
rather dampered the ardor OF the ruf-
fans and caused them to waVer Tor
moment. Brandishing dubbed riiles a!,u
short swords, they crept forward littie
and then made furious rush.
Now. snhib!" exclaimed Zorn.
with that she fired. and ono OF the
scoundrels fell. Jack dropped another.
and a third went down at the fiash OF
the Hindoo girls second pistol.
A few more seconds and OIL wouid pc
over Jack had one shot left, ana
fierce spasm Of delight thrilled him when
he saw at close range the man whom no
SO srdcntly thrsted to kill. He aimed ana
fired. and with the report Joel Spanish
clutched at-iis chest and rolled head
long to the floor
rho others pushed on over his CULVER
Ing body Out of the smoke doomed
devllish countenancc, and n glitterins
sword lunged at Jack. Hc struck well ana
It, of 4 ana
ris reeking tulwar and swinging IL N
front OF him, he stepped back a couple
OF PAGES. He heard Madge begging MN
to take her dagger and plunge it INTO
her heart; he felt Fora clinging to him,
her arms about his neck. and he struggled
to free himself
For an instant his senses were half
blurred and then, rousing as II from a
dream. ne became aware that something
unexpected had happened. a voice rang
loudly and he saw the knot OF swarthy
foeman part right and left, stink away
like whipped ours while they glanced
with furtive apprehension at tall figure
that had Just entered the outer door
way 1t was Chandra Singh himself.
paspine FOR breath, his face flushed and
| distorted.
Speak, you Dogs
"Fathcr!" cried Fora, as she ran swift
| ~ to him and was folded In his en-
| brace.
The rajah stared at the bodies strewn
about the blood spashed floor, and then
| his eyes, which glowed with rear Ina
| was even stronger than his aaushty
| pride. turned toward the corridor.
"Ouick, we must escaped he exclaimed
| hoarsely. "Al Is lost Delhi has fallen.
| The feringhee soldiers pursued me here.
| and they are now below!'
But 1t was too late for flight Chandra
| Singh's hour had come. Nemesis Was, ut
| the heels of the ruler OF Jhalapur. ana
! was not to be bafiled.
| There was a rush of many feet up the
splendid staircase shrill burst OF cheer
| ing and shouting. and into the ante
| room poured nearly a score OF powder
/ grimed, perspiring men, whose ragged
| uniforms showed that they belonged 10
| the Bengal Fusiliers.
rajah's people, who were too startled
and terror stricken to offer any resist
| ance worthy of the name.
The sight OF his old comrade seemed
to bring Jacks heart to his throet as
| he stood with one aym thrown about
| Madge; and mist danced before his
| ewes when he suddenly recognized a
1 bearded, sun-burned figure that was push
| ing rapidly toward the inner room intent
| on only one purpose, and obllyious to the
| fighting that was taking place around
1 him.
.,Madgew the man shouted, hoarsely.
| And with that he lifted his sword for a
slash at the disguised officer. who cried
| out barely In time;
"Estcourt! Don't you know me2"
"Tane!" the other gasped. ut caut
be-yes 1t is! You alive. old chap! THANK
God"
"And you, Ralph! believed you dead!''
I, Meanwhile, brief as was the interval,
terrible and merclless punishment had
been dealt to the rajah's men by the
enraged fusiliers; all but ono or two,
who succeeded in escaping, lay either
| dead or writhing in their last agonies.
Chandra Singh himself had so far been
spared, either because of the beautiful
girl who chung to him and protected
him with her own body, or by reason
| Of the naughty fortitude with which ne
confronted his enemies, But now half a
| dozen of the soldiers We're around MIN.
threatening him with pistol and sword
I, and. though Captain Rae was looking on,