The Greeley tribune., 1905-11-16

into the hearts of his hearers. He
vas ioretelllng the downfall OF the
British Raj.
s4alGeQ over NY shoulder at Har.
otu, anu | saw tuar ne had grown
"Hlte, white TO the lips, and that his
oFtuLe-hand was trembling.
nalIEe in the crowd yelled some
LAlhS IN a raucous, falsetto voice. and
edGsAt the words al once.
Your fellows down country have
mut!n!ed and killed their officers,
gs.ed 10 Harold. Did you hear what
that man sald?'
God help US, God help US he ey.
Claimed in that same LOarse. tense
the fort
"A great strapping Muhamma4an. a.
Dutt2er IN Il red tUCba1, Ie4peG from
sAe crowd and seized the rein OF Mrs.
Harolds horse with one hand. The
other held meat chopper. The horse
reared. l rose in my s-.rruDs. raised
my loaded riding crop and brought the
butt down full between the fellows
eyes. He dropped Ike a log.
Get on TO the fort, Harold. in Gods
name, and take the ladies with YOU, I
cried hre2th.ess.y. Tor now l was Law
ing about me with that heavy butt, and
the people, screaming with fear, were
tumbIing over one another in their
eageFness 10 get beyond the reach of
my arm,
I caught a glimpse Of Mrs. Har-
old's face, flushed with excitement. her
eyes flashing with enthusiasm and a
sort OF fierce delight.
on, how splendid OF you" she
cried. How spleadlin and then she
and Harold and his sister were of, al
Eal!Up up the hill toward the fort,
Harold leading.
The crowd had fallen back before
ne, and | rode straight at the NULam-
MADAM preacher. l hit him. as l had
hit the butcher, full between the eyes,
and | felt the bone shatter beneath the
blow.
You dogs!' cried. 'You dogs who
dare to bark because fools tell you
that the Raj of the British is ended.
get to your kennels like the whipped
ours you are. And when sense re.
turneth to you, come to me at the fort
craving pardon, lest l send word 10 the
government of the wicEedress in your
hearts, and the hide be stripped from
you in punishment. Got
And then, why then, and 1t brings
tears TO my eyes when / recall it, for
they are men, these AIuhaumaLals Of
India, though like children they be
easily led as-ray or a-iEhc as man
may chance 10 lead them-the crowd
SET up throaty shout, not Of rage or
defiance, but OF approval and admira-
ton.
"'It is well done.' cried many voices.
1t is well done, and behold our Saaib
is man. Let the Raj stand or fall
elsewhere, here the Raj and our Sahib
are one; and see, the Sahib stands
while the fool who spoke vain things
lies yOnder in the dust. 1t is in truth
well done
Il turned my horse slowly and
walked him up the hill to the fort. For
me at that moment the world held only
one thing-Mrs. Harold's face-and
that too said. 1t is well done and l
think also thank YOU
after that there came some anxious
times, but in the end mine was one Of
the districts that had no mutiny his
tory. Harold's nerve mad been shaken
by that scene in the town, and the
worst of it was that he couldn't get il
back and that his wife saw it.
AT last it was safe for them TO leave,
and | thanked God for it, though life
didn't seem to offer much TO me when
she had gone out of it. Anyhow. l
knew it was the only thing for me, if
was to avoid making a fool of my
self. and she-well, she was everything
that a woman ought to be.
THE evening before they were 10 go
away | came upon her sitting in the
veranda OF my bungalow-we had
moved out of the fort ages before. in
spite of Harold's freuzied protests
and she began TO speak of all, she was
pleased to say. they owed TO me.
Don't | said. 1T is l who owe
a debt-to you. 1t is you who have
helped me, helped me TO play the man.
81 don't think you wanted much
help to do that she said very seriously.
In moment we were on our feet.
facing one another, and her hands were
in mine. | knew then, l know now,
that l might have kissed her. Butt
would have hurt her.
Instead l stopped and kissed her
hands.
Goodbye and God keep you,' | said,
and turning, left her.
That, know now, was my greatest