CHAPTER XIX.
ASIATIC HONOR.
One quick movement with the lancet made an incision across the redspecks left by the fangs of the cobra, and into the opening he poured ateaspoonful of the yellowish fluid, which was so much like liquid fireand pepper that even the dusky scoundrel gasped with agony. Then hewas made to open his mouth and swallow something from a large bottle,which, as regards strength and flavor, was a twin of that which wasconsuming his flesh.
All at once the countenance of the physician expanded with a beamingsmile as he looked at his patient and said gently as if speaking to hisown child:
"All danger is past, Almos."
From the abundance of rags which fluttered about his person, the doctortore a piece and bandaged the wound. Then he said in a business-liketone:
"I am through; now you and the rest of you may go."
Almos hesitated.
"You have saved my life: is there nothing I can do for you?"
"I have just told you what to do--_leave_?"
Probably there would have been less promptness in complying with thecommand had there been less in uttering it. As it was, Almos, withouta word, motioned to the rest of his band, and led the way down the pathin the direction of the stream, the four tramping after him like somany ragged phantoms.
Dr. Marlowe was more eager to leave the place than he would permit hischild to know. He had no faith in Almos's promise, knowing that theGhoojur chieftain would break his oath, which he and his brotherfanatics did not consider binding when made to infidels, and the onlyhope, therefore, was for the fugitives to conceal themselves from themiscreants--a thing which the physician's intimate knowledge of thecountry would enable him to do.
Footfalls sounded along the path over which the two had just come, anda minute later Almos, Mustad and their three companions emerged intothe opening and approached the couple, one of whom suspected nothinguntil her father spoke.
"Well, Almos, what do you want?" demanded Dr. Marlowe, calmly lookingup at the Ghoojur chieftain, as he paused in front of him and made asalaam.
"We have come for the infidel and his daughter; our deen commands us toput them to death."
"What does the oath you gave me a little while ago command you to do?"
"That was made to an infidel; it is not binding upon a true son of theProphet."
"A true son of the devil!" exclaimed the physician, unable to represshis rage.
Turning to his daughter, he said:
"My child, you have a pistol; when they make a move, shoot; leave Almosto me and save your last bullet for yourself."
"The infidels shall be destroyed everywhere," said Almos; "none of theInglese loge shall be left in India. The faithful have risen and theywill crush them all, for so commands the Prophet----"
Dr. Marlowe had placed his hand on the butt of his revolver at his hip,meaning to whip out the weapon and fire before the miscreant hadfinished his high-sounding tomfoolery. His daughter had also graspedhers, intending to obey to the letter the command of her parent, whenthe Ghoojur chieftain abruptly paused in his speech, staggered for amoment, and then sank to the ground like a bundle of rags, with thebreath of life gone from his body.
The incident would have been as inexplicable to parent and child as tothe Ghoojurs, had they not caught the faint, far-away report of arifle, which, if heard by the bandits, was not associated by them withthe startling thing that had taken place before their eyes. But thedoctor and Mary knew the connection.
And about half-a-mile away, on the top of that huge rock, hot enoughunder the flaming sun to roast eggs, Jack Everson had assumed the sameposition that he held the afternoon before on the bank of the Ganges,when he checked the advance of the Ghoojur horsemen across the river.With the aid of the glasses, he had descried the forms of his belovedand her father when the bright eyes failed to detect his own. Then,when about to start to join them, he observed their visitors, and theglass again helped to identify them, after which he "proceeded tobusiness."
The instant he made his aim sure he pulled the trigger, came to asitting position, readjusted a cartridge, and placing the glasses tohis eyes that he might see the more plainly, watched the result of hisshot.
"By Jove; another bull's-eye!" he gleefully exclaimed, as he saw hisman stagger and fall almost at the feet of Dr. Marlowe. "I don't knowthe gentleman's name, but a first-class obituary notice is in order.That makes six, and now for the seventh. I really hope the doctor iskeeping score for me."
The professional eye of the physician saw where the pellet of lead hadpassed through the chest of Almos, but it was not observed by Mustad orthe other Ghoojurs, who probably attributed it in some way to the biteof the cobra, in spite of the miraculous cure that seemed to have beenwrought before their eyes. The three remained in the background, butthe fall of the leader appeared to add flames to the hatred of Mustad,who, assuming the mantle of the fallen chieftain, stepped to the front.
"You shall not escape us!" he hissed; "all the Inglese loge shall die!"
"But before any more of them perish, you shall go to the infernalregions to keep company with the imp that has just gone thither."
The doctor had learned from the exhibition of the preceding afternoonthe time required by Jack Everson to repeat his marvelous shots. Heknew, therefore, about the moment when a second was due, and he decidedto make its arrival as dramatic as possible.
"You stand almost on the same spot where stood Almos; he dropped deadbefore me, and," raising his hand impressively, "I command you to dothe same."
Mustad obeyed.
Again the faint report swept across the extent of jungle, travellingwith almost the same speed as the bullet, which, like its predecessor,bored through the dusky chest of the victim and lost itself in thevegetation beyond. Mustad gasped, convulsively clasped one hand to hisbreast, flung out both arms, groped blindly for an instant, and thenslumped down as dead as one of the mummies of the Pyramids.
And the young American, still reclining on that gray, blistering rock,again rose to a sitting posture and clapped the glasses to his eyes toobserve more clearly the result of his last trial at markmanship.
"That makes seven bull's-eyes!" was his delighted exclamation, "but Ihave done as well when the distance was twice as great. I must keepthe number in mind, for it will be like the doctor to insist that Imade but six out of a possible eight. I notice that three gentlemenare left and require attention."
With the same care as before, he lay back and drew bead on the group,but the next moment uttered an impatient exclamation and straightenedup again.
"They have fled; only Mary and her father are left, and there's no callto send any bullets in their direction."
The fall of Mustad at the command of the wrathful physician was morethan the other Ghoojurs could stand. Suspecting no connection betweenthe almost inaudible reports and the terrifying incidents, theybelieved their only hope was in headlong flight. Without a word theydashed down the trail, quickly passing from sight, and were seen nomore.
Meanwhile Jack Everson, finding no demand for long shooting, sprangfrom the rock and made all haste to the spot where he had recognizedhis friends, and where they awaited his coming with an anxiety thatcould not have been more intense. That others of their enemies were inthe neighborhood was certain, and their vengeance could not berestrained or turned aside as had been that of the Ghoojurs. Acollision between them and the fugitives must be fatal to the latter.
Great, therefore, was the delight of father and daughter when the bravefellow bounded into sight, his whole concern, as it seemed, being tolearn whether the score kept by the doctor agreed with his own. Whenassured that it did, he announced that he was at the disposal of thevenerable physician and his daughter.
The three pushed steadily toward Nepaul, cheered by the knowledge thatwith every mile passed their danger lessened. They were in great perilmore than once. Twice they exchanged shots with marauding bands, andonce their destruction seemed inevitable; bu
t good fortune attendedthem, and at the end of a week they entered the wild, mountainous andsparsely-settled region, where at last all danger was at an end.
So it came about that when the young people took their final departuredown the Ganges for Calcutta, thence to return to the United States,Dr. Marlowe went with them. He and his son-in-law formed a partnershipin the practice of their profession, and it is only a few years sincethat the aged physician was laid to rest. He was full of years andhonors, and willing to go, for he knew that the happiness of hisdaughter could be in no safer hands than those of Jack Everson.