The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-06-04
900 -e-e-e-G
!; THE PURP[ IL GOD. !:
Bv WILLIAM MURRAY GRAYDON. Copyright 1909. g
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slightest wish Renounce the fering-
! ghee girl, give her up for me. and she
| shall be sent safely to her own people,
ut is impossible"
"Think we'll. sahib. before you refuse"
You have my answer. owe you
| much, Fora, but what you ask cannot
| do,
II offer you everything-1ove, riches,
| lifel Is the salib n fool?'
| ut is useless to urge me-" Jack replied
| In n low tone
The scene was indescrlbably painful
to him, and he did not fully realize its
| import He shook himself free. and
zora's eyes blazed a. him with all tho
| fury OF woman scorned. The next In
stant she was kneelng by her father,
het slim hands clenched.
| xiii 1.-The feringhecs" she cried. Let
them perish by the swordl''
| Chandra Singh was shrewd enough to
| understand tho situation. With n frown-
ing brow he glanced from Fora to tss
young officer. who had been firmly seized
by the palace guards
Your mind turns like a weathercock,
my daughter" no muttered perplexedly
Joel Spanish grltted his teeth with
| rage. and Raghavn, who was rs prompt
TO perceive the danger, stepped to the
rajals side and spoke single sentence
In his ear.
Vengeance most highl''
The llvid hue Of passion leaped afresh
| to Chandra Sngh's countenancc. the re-
| membrance stung him to the quick.
THE captivcs must die" no said. loud
ly and harshly. TAKE them both to the
| court OF Vshnu. Bairam Khan. and put
/ them to tho sword"
There was clamor of approving voices
and Joel Spanish grlnned like fiend.
"Dfath to all heretlcs!" he cried. rat.
Ting his sword.
| AT that moment the Persian hanginEs
at the far end OF the dewankhana were
drawn open and n servants voice an
nounccd messenger from Delhi.
Tho travel-worn courier came swiftly
! forward, dropped TO one knee before the
\ throne and presented to the raiah let
ter encascd In green silk and with q
string of dangling seals. Chandra Singh,
| read the parchment scroll that It con-
tanned. and his face grew very sober.
Greeting and commands from his
majesty, Bahadur Shah" he said TO those
( rear to Delhi, and I am summoned there
with my forces to take part In the de-
| Tense Moreover. 1 am bldden to bring
| with me the feringhee prisoners. OF whom
the king has doubtless heard. He himself
| will Judge them. See that the will OF
his majesty is obeyed, Baram Khan
Joel Spanish glared with impotent rage
| as Jack, who could scarcely realize that
he had been snatched second time from
the jaws OF DEATH was led from the
| with her eyes. then uttered a piercing
1 shrek and fell senselcss to the marble
1 floor.
Night had closed in darkly on the eve
ming Of the 18th Of June when the rajah's
forces arrived at the Lahore gate OF
Delhi, where they were detained and held
for half hour, while a large body of
ravolted troops from Marodabad, horse.
foot and artillery, marched through ahead
Of them.
Chandra Singh had lost no time In obey
/ ing the royal mandate and proving his
4 loyalty. Leaving but q small garrison at
Jlialapur, he set forth within stwenty-four
hours with 800 irregular horsemen, a NUM-
Der OF heavy guns and his personal rel-
nue., all OF which made a fine showing.
That night, as was well known. the
amy Of retribution under General Bar
nard lay but a few miles distant. and It's
/ outposts occupied the famous ridge from
which the tedious operations OF the sege
were to be conducted.
!, No fear for the result. however, was
felt within the massive walls of imperial
| Delhi. Flushed with recent victory and
! slaughter, fred by religious enthusiasm,
from the lowest Sepoy TO the king HIM
self, ali were boastngly confident Of sue
/ cess.
Fresh troops were pouring in constant
i ~, and already the fighting strength OF
4 the mutineers was little short OF 10000
4 including twenty-five regiments OF Ben
4 gal infantry, eight of cavalry. numerous
4 artillerymen and some thousands of
mixed deserters.
| The rajah's party made long and
4 narrow procession, rs 1t finally got a
clear way and entered tho city by the
FL ahore gate, moving thence through
the beautiful avenue called the Chand-
ney Choke, at the farther end of which,
near the citadel, Chnndra Singh had a
I. pretentious house. enclosed by gardens
Lights flashed from shop fronts and
balconied windows and to and fro surged
I dense, clamoring excited crowd. many
OF them wearing the uniform OF the
Bengal army. while Others were In the
picturesque martial livery OF the native
Princes whom they served.
Madge Estcourt was well at the top of
the column, borne In covered palan-
nuin, which she shared with Fora. and
one hundred yards to the rear. close
guarded by Bairam Khan's prancing
u troopers, was Calcutta built roacll
drawn by four horses and containing
two persons.
Pomesh Chunder sat alertly with a
pistol on his knees. and his travelling
companion appeared also to be Hin
8 doc. But the haggard sunburned face
OF Jack Fame peered from under the big
turban, and that and his long tunIc and
lt,lmmerbund were simply necessary
disguise provided by the rajah In order
to Insure the safe delivery OF the prls-
oner to tho Mogul king on the following
day.
: Had any suspected that ferInghee
} rode In the coach. 1t is doubtful II the
soldiers could have prevented him from
! being torn to pieces by an infurlated
mob, such was the temper of the peo-
Pile that night.
Black and bitter were the young Of
ficcr's thoughts, and as he moved slowly
along. watching tho terrible and yet
fascinating street scenes from behind
tho crimson curtains of the vehicle, a
desperate determination formed In his
mind,
J lie was Ignorant of the strength of
tho mutineers, and equally SO or the