The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-05-26
!: THE PURPLE GOD. ].
BY WILLIAM MURRAY GRAYDoN. Copyright, 1909.
900

II was afraid for moment we wouldn't
pull through. How the devils leaped at
usI"
Nothing ever gave me half as much
satisfaction" replied Jack, as hn
sheathed his tulwar. ~ won't part With
this trusty blade It's q souvenir worth
Keeping. Yes, 1t was hot work Rugges.
And that's why liked 1t. We've struck
the first awenging blow--done something
to wipe out the black shame Of the mass
acre"
Were you hit, sir2'
There's a bruise or two on my lefs
arm. and the top OF my helmet Is
smashed In And your
II got Il nasty crack behind the car
and thump In the ribs. but hardly
feel them now, sir. ia like to have arl-
other go at them"
you'll get plenty of fighting, be az
sured, before this trouble Ia over" the
young officer answered sadly.
BY this time they were some distances
from Meerut. and the turmoil rising from
the sacked and devastated town echoed
but family on their ears.
They gnloped rapidly on, crossed the
open country, and dlved into tho gloom
of the Jungle.
a little later, when they had covered
four or five miles, bright object spark.
ling in tho middle of the road caused
them to pull up their horses abruptly.
Rugglcs dlsmounted and stopped over.
Got a match, sr?' he inquired.
Jack scraped one, and tho light shona
on brass buckle in his companion'e
hand.
"a trooper OF the Third Native Cavalry
dropped this" said the sergeant. And
look here, sir. DO you SEQ all those horse (
shoe prints In tho dust? At least n dozen
mounted men have passed this way. and
that quite recently
by heavens, you're right" cried jack
Some OF the mutnecrs OF the Third,
who have detached themselves from the
main body, and arc riding to Jhalapur
with news! And they must pass RAM
poora! Mount, Rugyles! Quick, for Gods
sakc!"
They were OF again, pounding over. the
T, narrow rond with n crash and clutter
Of hoofs. On and on. while tho miles
slipped behind. down tho nullah. where
Tobins Clink had met his death, and up
the other slope with rush.
Then, through a rift In tho forest trcea
what was that7 a dull. red glow. as
II from amouldcring fire, ovcrhangtng
the edge OF the horizon. And Just where
Rnmpoorn lay!
TOO late. sirr' Ruggles said huaklly.
III they've killed Madge-" Jack begun:
and tho sentence ended in q half sob.
CHAPTER XIV.
HOW THE NEWS CAMD TO JHAIA.
PUR.
s."Pigsl 1nndel dogsl They have eluded
our vengeance. but may the heavy curso
OF Brahma overtnke them!"
The speaker was Matadeen IAl n most
ferocious yisaged havildnr OF tho revolted
Third Cavalry. Ho emphasized his words
With string OF choice oaths, gave u tug
to his long black moustaches and rolled
his wicked eyes at the ten troopers OF his
| command, whose silver gray uniforms.
with orange faclngs. shone in q glaro
OF light that owed but q fraction OF its
brilliancy to tho soaring moon.
II looked for better game than this
grumbled staggering sowar (trooper),
| as he kicked tho corpse Of an old IIindoo
who lay ut his feet in the short grass.
1T was scarcely worth while to hnvo
drawn steel. 1t was different Mt Mcerut.
We had mems work there"
And wo shall have plenty more OF It.
mayhap," answered tho havldar. Not
in q day-not In q weck-wil the British
ra ge be ended and the Fcrnghces driven
tarry hero longer. To horse. my bro-
theirs! On to Jhalnpur! His Highness.
Chnndra Singh, will be well pleased to
hear tho glorious tidings that we bear.
ana he will send US to Delhi with gold
| blinking In our pockets"
There was q jangle OF equipments and
n rattle Of scabbards. as tho eleven
troopers OF tho Third swung lightly to
saddle and rode away from Rampoora,
! down the shaded avenue to the main road.
leaving behind them the ineffucenblo
marks of their visitation.
It was terrible scene on which tho
moon gazed through tho dull canopy OF
| Rmoke-a panorama OF separate confln-
| grnuons that ragged about the heart OF
the plantation and threw lurid glare
| on the surrounding borders of the Jungle.
| House, factory, outbuildngs-all were
| blazing. They had been burning for some
time. and already. OF such nflammable
material We're they constructed. the flames
had wrapped them from top to bottom.
Sparks danced and lowered in the air
like millions of flretiics. Hero and there
u roof had fallen. Il wall topped inward
or n barred skeleton OF rafters hesltated
to drop into the seething furnace below.
The pretty bungalow was n Kissing,
cracking demon OF flames. and In tho
compound lay the bodies Of three faithful
| Tindoo servants. who had refused to seek
safety in flight. and had died In the cons
fident but VAIN endeavor 10 protect the
property of their master. The coolies
and factory hands, having no inclination
to risk their skins had escaped to tho
Jungle at the first warning OF tho ap-
proach OF the marnuders.
The night was yet young, though tho
fatal May 10th had run Its allotted
course and dropped into history. In dis
tnnt Delhi. and more distant Agra. In
many another town OF tho northwest
province, tho metal ghurries had changed
the hour OF / In tho morning.
And while Rampoora was melting to
snapeless embers and ashes, Lieutenant
Fame and his gallant sergeant We're three
miles away on tho Meerut road, pounding
through the jungle, with relns drawn as
tight as their tense heartstrlnss.
On to Jhnlapurl The refrain echoed
In the heads # Matadeen Lnl and his
ion sowars. and was bawled frequently
from their lips, to reverberate along the
forest aisles and startle sleeping birds
ara proving beasts
They yelled the louder IN more maud
lin tones. as they rode on through the
! night: for they had confiscated and
drunk Ralph GIstcourt's stock of old
/ brandy before they put the torch to the