CHAPTER XIX
TEMPEST
The storm had burst on India. In the Khyber Pass there was fiercer fightingthan even that blood-stained defile had ever seen. The flames kindled byfanaticism and lust of plunder blazed up along the North-west Frontier andburned fiercest around Peshawar, where the Pathan tribes gathered thickest.No news came from the interior of Bhutan.
So far, however, the interior of the land was comparatively tranquil.Sporadic outbreaks in the Bombay Presidency and the Punjaub had beencrushed promptly. The great plan of a wide-spread concerted risingthroughout the peninsula had come to naught, thanks to the papers thatDermot had found in the man-eater's den. He had carried them straight toSimla himself, for closer examination had confirmed his first impressionand shown him that they were far too important to be confided to any oneelse.
The information in them proved to be of the utmost value, for theydisclosed the complete plans of the conspirators and told the very datesarranged for the advance of the Afghan army and the attacks of the Pathans,which were to take place simultaneously with the general rising in India.This latter the military authorities were enabled to deal with soeffectively that it came to nothing.
Incidentally the papers conclusively proved the treason of the Rajah andthe _Dewan_ of Lalpuri, and that the Palace was one of the most importantcentres of the conspiracy. To Dermot's amazement no action was takenagainst the two arch-plotters, owing to the incredible timidity of thechief civil authorities in India and their susceptibility to politicalinfluences in England. For Lalpuri and its rulers had been taken under thevery particular protection of the Socialist Party; and the Government ofIndia feared to touch the traitors. The excuse given for this leniency wasthat any attempt to punish them might be the signal for the long delayedrising in Lalpuri and Eastern Bengal generally.
A few days after Dermot's return from Simla orders came to him from theAdjutant General to hand over the command of the detachment to Parker, ashe himself had been appointed extra departmental Political Officer of theBhutan Border, with headquarters at Ranga Duar. This released him from theresponsibilities of his military duties and left him free to devote himselfto watching the frontier. He was able to keep in communication with Parkerby means of signal stations established on high peaks near the Fort,visible from many points in the mountains and the forest; for he carried asignalling outfit always with him.
Thanks to this precaution the garrison of the outpost was not taken bysurprise when one morning the hills around Ranga Duar were seen to becovered with masses of armed men, and long lines of troops wound down themountain paths. For from the peaks above the pass through which he had oncegone to the Death Place of the elephants, Dermot had looked down upon aninvading force of Chinese regulars supported by levies of Bhutanese fromthe interior and a wild mob of masterless Bhuttias from both sides of theborder. He had flashed a warning to Parker in ample time, returned to the_peelkhana_ and bidden Ramnath hide with Badshah in a concealed spot in thefoothills where he could easily find them, sent the other _mahouts_ andelephants out of reach of the invaders, and climbed up to the Fort to watchwith his late subaltern the arrival of the enemy.
"Well, Major, it's come our way at last," said Parker as they greeted eachother. "Thanks to your warning we're ready for them. But we are not theonly people who've been expecting them. The wires are cut, the roadblocked, and we are isolated."
"Yes, I know. Many messengers have got through from the enemy; for mycordon of faithful Bhuttias has disappeared. The members of it have joinedthe invaders in the hope of loot." Parker looked up at the hills, blackwith descending forms.
"There's a mighty lot of the beggars," he said simply. "Do you remember ourdiscussing this very happening once and your saying that we weren't equalto stopping a whole army? What's your advice now?"
"See it out. We're bound to go under in the end, but we'll be able, I hope,to keep them off for a few days. And every hour we hold them up will beworth a lot to those below. We shan't be relieved, for there aren't any mento spare in India. But we'll have done our part."
"I say, Major, wasn't it lucky we got those machine guns in time? I'veplenty of ammunition, so we ought to be able to put up a good fight.What'll they do first?"
"Try to rush the defences at once. They have a lot of irregulars whom theChinese General won't be able to keep in hand. He won't mind their beingwiped out either. I see you've made a good job of clearing the foreground.You haven't left them much cover. So you blew up our poor old Mess and thebungalows?"
"Yes. The rubble came in handy for filling in that _nullah_. Hullo!"Parker's glasses went to his eyes. "You're right, by Jingo! They'regathering for an assault. Gad! what a beautiful mark for shrapnel. I wishwe'd a gun or two."
A storm of shells from the mountain batteries, the only artillery that theenemy had been able to bring with them through the Himalayas, fell on theFort and its defences. Then masses of men rushed down the hills to theattack. Not a shot was fired at them. Encouraged by the garrison's silenceand carried away by the prospect of an easy victory, they lost allformation and crowded together in dense swarms.
The two British officers watched them from the central redoubt. Parker heldhis binoculars to his eyes with his right hand, while his left forefingerrested on a polished button in a little machine on the table beside him.The assailants, favoured by the fall of the ground, soon reached the limitsof the cantonments, bare now of buildings and trees. There were trainedChinese troops, some tall, light-complexioned Northerners of Manchu blood,others stocky, yellow men from Canton and the Southern Provinces. Mobs ofBhutanese with heads, chests, legs, and feet bare, fierce but undisciplinedfighters, armed with varied weapons, led the van. Uttering weird yells andbrandishing their _dahs_, spears, muskets, and rifles, they rushed towardsthe fort, from which no shot was fired. Accustomed to the lofty _jongs_, orcastles, of their own land they deemed the breastworks and trenchesunworthy of notice. And the stone barracks and walls in the Fort wererapidly melting away under the rain of shells.
Flushed with victory the swarming masses came on. But suddenly the worldupheaved behind the leaders. Rocks, earth, and rubble went up in cloudsinto the air, and with them scores of the Chinese regular troops, underwhose very feet mines of the new explosive had been fired by Parker. Andthe howling mobs in front were held up by barbed wire, while from thedespised trenches and breastworks a storm of lead swept the crowded massesof the attackers away. At that close range every bullet from the machineguns and rifles of the defenders drove through two or three assailants,every bomb and grenade slew a group. Only in one spot by sheer weight ofnumbers did they break through.
But like a thunderbolt fell the counter-attack. Stalwart PunjaubiMohammedans, led by Dermot, swept down upon them, and with bomb and bayonetdrove them out. The survivors turned and staggered up the hills again,withering away under the steady fire of the sepoys, who adjusted theirsights with the utmost coolness as the range increased.
Again and again the assaults were repeated and repulsed, until theundisciplined and demoralised Bhutanese refused to advance, and the Chineseregulars attacked alone. But fresh mines exploded under them; the deadlyfire of the defenders' machine guns blasted them; and the Pekin generallooked anxious as his best troops melted away. He would not go far intoIndia if every small body of its soldiers took equally heavy toll of hisforce. So he ordered a cessation of the assaults.
But there was no respite for the little garrison. Day and night thepitiless bombardment by the mountain batteries and long-range fire ofrifles and machine guns never ceased. And death was busy among thedefenders.
On the third night of the siege Dermot and the subaltern knelt side by sidein what was now the last line of the defence.
"I ought not to ask you to go, Major," whispered Parker. "It's not possibleto get through, I'm afraid. I can't forget the awful sight of the fiendishtortures they inflicted on poor Hikmat Khan and Shaikh Ismail today in fullview of us all. They tried to slip through last night with their nakedbo
dies covered with oil. It's a terrible death for you if they catch you.It would be much easier to die fighting. Yet someone ought to go."
"Yes, they must be told at Headquarters," replied his companion in anequally low tone. "We can't hold them two days longer."
"Not that, if they try to rush us again. Our ammunition is giving out,"said Parker. "I'd go myself if I weren't commanding here. But I'd have nochance of getting through. You are our only hope. Oh, I don't mean ofrelief. There's no possibility of that."
"No; if I do manage to get into touch with Headquarters, it would be toolate, even if they could spare any troops."
"Yes, it's all over now, bar the shouting. Well, we've had some jolly timestogether, sir, you and I, in this little place, haven't we? Do you rememberwhen the Dalehams were up here? What a nice girl she was. I hope she'ssafe."
"I hope to Heaven she is," muttered Dermot. "Well, Parker, I must saygood-bye. We've been good friends, you and I; and I'm sorry it's theend."
In the darkness their hands met in a firm grip.
"One word, sir," whispered the subaltern. "If you do pull through, you'vegot my mother's address. You'll let her know? She thinks a lot of me, poorold lady."
Dermot answered him only by a pressure of the hand. The next moment he wasgone. Parker, straining eyes and ears, saw nothing, heard nothing.
Half an hour later a picquet of slant-eyed men lying on the steep slopes ofthe hill below the Fort saw above them a man's figure dark against thepaling stars. They challenged and sprang towards it with levelled bayonets.The next instant they were hurled apart, dashed to the ground, trampled todeath. One as he expired had a shadowy vision of some awful bulk toweringblack against the coming dawn.
The sun was low in the heavens when Dermot awoke in a bracken-carpetedglade of the forest thirty miles away from Ranga Duar. Over him Badshahstood watchfully. The man yawned, rubbed his eyes and sat up. He looked athis watch.
"Good Heavens! I've slept for hours!" he cried.
Overcome by fatigue, for he had not even lain down once since the siegebegan, and finding that he was in danger of falling off the elephant, hehad dismounted for a few minutes' rest. But exhausted Nature had conqueredhim, and he had fallen into a deep sleep. Haggard, hollow-eyed, and wornout, despite the rest, he staggered to his feet and was swung up toBadshah's neck by the crooked trunk and started again.
He was hastening towards Salchini, where he hoped to secure Payne's car, ifthe owner had not fled, and try to get into touch with Army Headquarters.But what to do if his friend had gone he hardly knew. The heavy firing atRanga Duar, echoed by the mountains, must have been heard in the district;and all the planters had probably taken the warning and gone away. He wasracked with anxiety as to Noreen's fate and could only hope that at thefirst alarm her brother had hurried her off. But there was no militarystation nearer than Calcutta or Darjeeling, and by this time it wasprobable that the whole of Eastern Bengal was in revolt. God help theEnglishwoman that fell into its people's hands! The temptation to turnaside to Malpura was great. But Dermot overcame it. His duty came first.
Darkness had fallen on the jungle now. Except to lessen his speed it madelittle difference to the elephant; but for the man it was harder to findhis way. On the twisting jungle tracks his luminous compass was of littleuse. He was forced to trust mainly to the animal.
But soon a suspicion arose in his mind that Badshah had swerved away fromthe direction in which Salchini lay and was heading for Malpura. It becamecertainty when they reached a deep _nullah_ in the forest which Dermot knewwas on the route to that garden. He tried to turn the elephant. Badshahpaid no heed to him and held on his way with an invincible determinationthat made the man suspect there was a grave reason for his obstinacy. Heknew too well the animal's strange and mysterious intelligence. He gave upcontending uselessly and was borne along through the dark forestunresisting. Over the tree-tops floated the long, wailing cry of a GiantOwl circling against the stars. Close to their path the warning bark of a_khakur_ deer was answered by the harsh braying roar of a tiger. Far awaythe metallic trumpeting of a wild elephant rang out into the night.
Presently Dermot saw a red glow through the trees ahead. Badshah neverchecked his pace but swept on until the glow became a ruddy glare stainingthe tree-trunks. Suddenly the stars shone overhead. They were clear of thejungle; and as they emerged on the open clearing of the tea-garden a columnof fire blazed up ahead of them.
A chill fear smote Dermot. He would have urged Badshah on, but the elephantdid not need it. Rapidly they sped along the soft road towards the leapingflames, which the soldier soon realised rose from the burning factory andwithering sheds. And black against the light danced hundreds of figures,while yells and wild cries rent the air. And, well to one side, a freshburst of flame and sparks leapt up into the night. It was one of thebungalows afire. Round it more figures moved fantastically. A groan camefrom the man's lips. Was it Daleham's bungalow that burned?
All at once Badshah stopped of his own accord and sank down on his knees.Mechanically his rider slipped to the ground and stood staring at thestrange scene. He hardly noticed that the elephant rose, touched himcaressingly with its trunk, swung round and sped away towards the forest.Half-dazed and heedless of danger Dermot hurried forward. Again the flamesshot up, and by their light he saw to his relief that the Dalehams'bungalow was still standing. Parry's house was burning furiously. Pistol inhand he ran forward, scarcely cognizant of the crowds of shifting figuresaround the blazing buildings, deaf to their triumphant yells. Groups ofnatives crossed his path, shouting and leaping into the air excitedly, butthey paid no attention to him. But, as he ran, he hit up against one manwho turned and, seeing his white face, yelled and sprang away.
As Dermot neared the Dalehams' bungalow he saw that it was surrounded by acordon of coolies armed with rifles and strung out many yards apart. Heraced swiftly for a gap between two of them; but a man rose from the groundand snatched at him. The soldier struck savagely at him with the hand inwhich the pistol was firmly clenched, putting all his weight into the blow.The native crumpled and fell in a heap.
Dashing on Dermot shouted Daleham's name. From behind a barricade of boxeson the verandah a stern voice which he recognised as belonging to one ofthe Punjaubi servants whom he had provided, called out:
"_Kohn hai? Kohn atha?_ (Who is there? Who comes?)"
"Sher Afzul! It is I. Dermot Sahib," he replied, as he sprang up theverandah steps.
The muzzle of a rifle was pointed at him over the barricade, and a beardedface peered at him.
"It is the Major Sahib!" said the Mohammedan. "In the name of Allah, Sahib,have you brought your sepoys?"
"No; I am alone. Where are the Sahib and the missie _baba?_"
"In the bungalow. Enter, Sahib."
Dermot climbed over the barricade and pushed open the door of thedining-room, which was in darkness. But the heavy curtain dividing itfrom the drawing-room was dragged aside and Daleham appeared in thedoorway, outlined against the faint light of a turned-down lamp. Behindhim Noreen was rising from a chair.
"Who's there?" cried the boy, raising a revolver.
"It's all right, Daleham. It's I, Dermot. I'm alone, I'm sorry to say."
A stifled cry burst from the girl.
"Oh, you are safe, thank God!" she cried, her hand at her heart.
"What has happened here?" asked Dermot, entering the room.
Fred let fall the curtain as he answered:
"Hell's broke loose on the garden, sir. The coolies have mutinied. Parry'sdead, murdered; and we're alive only by the kind mercies of that bruteChunerbutty, damn him! You were right about him, Major; and I was afool.... Is it true you've been attacked up in Ranga Duar?" he continued.
"Are you wounded, Major Dermot?" broke in the girl anxiously.
"No, Miss Daleham. I'm quite safe and sound."
Then he told them briefly what had happened. When he had finished he askedthem when the trouble began at Malpura.
"Three d
ays ago," replied Fred. "The wind was blowing from the north, andwe heard firing up in the mountains. I thought you were having an extra goof musketry there. But the coolies suddenly stopped work and gatheredoutside their village, where those infernal Brahmins harangued them. I wentto order them back to their jobs----".
"Where was Parry?"
"Lying dead drunk in his bungalow. Well, some of the coolies attacked mewith _lathis_, others tried to protect me. The Brahmins told me that theend of the British _Raj_ (dominion) had come and that you were beingattacked in Ranga Duar by a big army from China and would be wiped out.Then I was hustled back to the bungalow where those Mohammedan servantsthat you got for us--lucky you did!--turned out with rifles, which theysaid afterwards you'd given them, and wanted to fire on the mob. But Istopped them."
"Where was Chunerbutty?"
"Oh, he hadn't thrown off the mask yet. He came to me and said he was aprisoner and would not be allowed to leave the estate. But he advised me toride over to Granger or some of the other fellows and get their help. But Iwouldn't leave Noreen; and Sher Afzul told me that it was as bad on theother gardens. But only today the real trouble began."
"What happened?"
"Some news apparently reached the coolies that drove them mad with delight.They murdered the Parsi storekeeper, looted his place, and got drunk on his_daru_. Then they started killing the few Mohammedans we had on the estate.Some of the women and children got to us and we took them in. But the rest,even the little babies, were murdered by the brutes.
"I went over to Parry, but he was still too drunk to understand me. I wastrying to rouse him when I heard shouts and ran out on the verandah. Allthe coolies, men, women, and children, were streaming towards thebungalows, mad with excitement, screaming and yelling. The men and evenmost of the boys carried weapons. The Brahmins were leading them. They madefor Chunerbutty's house first. I was going to run to his assistance, whenhe came out and they cheered him like anything. He was in native dress andhad marks painted on his forehead like the other Brahmins."
"Yes; go on. What happened then?"
"The engineer seemed as excited and mad as the rest. He ran down his steps,put himself at the head of the mob, shouted out something, and pointed toParry's bungalow. They all rushed over to it, yelling like mad. Poor oldParr heard them and, dazed and drunk, staggered out on the verandah in hispyjamas and bare feet. Chunerbutty and the Brahmins came up the steps,driving back the crowd, which tried to follow them, howling like demons."
Fred passed his hand across his eyes. Dermot bent forward and staredeagerly at him, while Noreen looked only at the soldier.
"I called out to the engineer and asked him what it all meant," went on theboy, "but he took no notice of me. Parry tottered towards him, abusing him.Chunerbutty let him come to within a yard or two, then pulled out a pistoland fired three shots straight at the old man's heart. Poor old Parr felldead."
Daleham paused for a moment.
"Poor old chap! He had his faults; but he had his good points, too. Well,I rushed towards him, but the Bengalis fell on me, knocked me down, andoverpowered me. The mob outside yelled for my blood; but Chunerbutty shutthem up. I was allowed to get on my feet again; and Chunerbutty held apistol to my head, and cursed me and ordered me to go back to my bungalowand wait. He said that somebody would come here tomorrow to settle what wasto be my fate and to take Noreen."
The girl sprang up.
"You never told me that," she cried.
"No; it wasn't any use distressing you," replied her brother. "But I had totell the Major."
She turned impetuously to Dermot and stretched out her arms to him.
"You won't let them take me, will you? Oh, say you won't!" she said with alittle sob.
He took both her hands in his.
"No, little girl, I won't. Not while I live."
"You'll kill me first? Promise me."
"On my honour."
She gave a sigh of relief and, strangely content, sank back into her chair.But she still held one of his hands clasped tightly in both of hers.
"Well, that's pretty well all there is to tell, Major," her brother wenton. "I came back here, and the servants and I tried to put the house into astate of defence. No one's come near us so far."
"So Chunerbutty was at the head of affairs here. I thought so, I supposethe someone is that scoundrelly Rajah. He'll make his conditions known and,if you don't surrender, they'll attack us. Now, let's see what we've got asgarrison. We two and the servants--seven. How are you off for weapons? Ileft my rifle behind."
"The servants have got their rifles and plenty of ammunition. I have adouble-barrelled .400 cordite rifle and a shot-gun. If it comes to a scrapI'll take that and leave you the rifle. You're a much better shot; and Ican't miss at close quarters with a scatter-gun."
"Do you think there's any hope for us?" asked the girl quietly.
"Frankly, I don't. I'd not put it so bluntly, only I've seen you in a tightcorner before, Miss Daleham, and you weren't afraid."
"I am not now," she replied calmly.
"I believe we'd hold off these coolies, aye, and the Rajah's soldiers too,if they came. But we may have the Chinese troops on us at any minute; andthat's a different matter."
"But why should you stay with us, Major Dermot?" said the girl anxiously."As you got in through these men, surely you could escape the same way."
"I'll be candid with you, Miss Daleham, and tell you that if I could Iwould. For it's my duty to go on and report. But I'm stranded without myelephant, and even if I had him it wouldn't be much good unless I hadPayne's car. And what has happened here must have happened on the othergardens. Without the motor I'd be too late with my news. So I'll stay hereand take my chance."
Then he laughed and added:
"But cheer up; we're not dead yet. If only I'd Badshah I'd take you both upon him and we'd break through the whole Chinese Army."
The girl shook her head.
"We couldn't go. We couldn't leave those poor women and children and theservants."
"I forgot them. No; you're right. Well, I haven't lost all hope. I havegreat faith in old Badshah. I shouldn't be surprised if he got us out ofthis scrape, as he did before."
"Oh, I forgot him. I believe he'll help us still," cried the girl. "Wheredid you leave him?"
"He left me. He's quite able to take care of himself," replied Dermotgrimly. "Now, Daleham, please take me round the house and show me thedefences; and we'll arrange about the roster of sentry-duty with theservants. Please excuse me, Miss Daleham."
Through the weary night the two men, when not taking their turn on guard,sat and talked with Noreen in the drawing-room. For the girl refused to goto bed and, only to content them, lay back on a settee.
When she and Dermot were left alone she sighed and said:
"Ah, my beautiful forest! I must say good-bye to it. How I have enjoyed thehappy days in it."
"Some of them were too exciting to be pleasant," he replied smiling.
"But the others made up for them. I like to think of you in the forestbest," she said dreamily. "We were real friends there."
"And elsewhere, I hope."
"No. In Darjeeling you didn't like me."
"I did. Tonight I can be frank and tell you that I was glad to go to itbecause you were there."
She looked at him wonderingly.
"But you wouldn't take any notice of me there," she said.
"No. I was told that you were engaged, or practically engaged, toCharlesworth, and disliked any one else taking up your time."
She sat up indignantly.
"To Captain Charlesworth? How absurd! I suppose I've Ida to thank for that.I wouldn't have married him for anything."
"Is that so? What a game of cross-purposes life is! But that's why I didn'ttry to speak to you much."
"Did you want to? I thought you disliked me. And it hurt me so much. Do youknow, I used to cry about it sometimes. I wanted you to be my friend."
He walked over to h
er settee.
"Noreen, dear, I wanted to be your friend and you to be mine," he said,looking down at her. "I liked you so much. At least, I thought I likedyou."
"And--and don't you?" she asked, looking up at him.
He knelt beside her.
"No, little friend, I don't like you. Because I--" He paused.
"What?" she whispered faintly.
"I love you, dear. Do you think it absurd?"
She was silent for a moment. Then she looked slowly up at him; and in hereyes he read her answer.
"Sweetheart! Little sweetheart!" he whispered, and held out his arms toher.
With a little cry she crept into them; and he pressed her to his heart. Atthat moment enemies, danger, death, were forgotten. For Noreen her wholeworld lay within the circle of his arms.
"Do you really, really love me?" she asked wonderingly.
He held her very close to his heart and looked fondly, tenderly down intothe lovely upturned face.
"Love you, my dearest? I love you with all my heart, my soul, my being," hewhispered. "How could I help loving you?"
And bending down he kissed her fondly.
"It's all so wonderful," she murmured. "I didn't think that you cared forme, that you could ever care. You seemed so far away, too occupied withimportant things to spare a thought for me. So serious a person, andsometimes so stern, that I was afraid of you."
He laughed amusedly.
"The wonder is that you ever came to care for me. You do care, don't you,beloved?"
She looked up at him earnestly.
"Dear, do I seem forward, bold? But our time together is too short forpretence. Yes, I do care. I love you? I seem to have always loved you. Orat least to have waited always to love you. I don't think I knew what lovewas until now. Until now. Now I do know."
She paused and stared across the room, seeing the vision of her childhood,her girlhood. From outside came intermittent shouts and an occasionalrandom shot. But she did not hear them.
"As a child, as a schoolgirl, even afterwards, I used to day-dream. I usedto wonder if any one would ever love me, ever teach me what love is. Idreamt of a Fairy Prince who would come to me one day, of a strong, brave,tender man who would care for me, who would want me to care for him. Ioften laughed at myself for it afterwards. For in London men all seemed sovery unlike my dream-hero."
She turned her face to him and looked tenderly at him.
"But when I met you," she continued, "I think I knew that you were He. ButI never dared hope that you would learn to care for me."
"Dearest heart," he replied, "I think I must have fallen in love with youthe first moment I saw you. I can see you now as you stood surrounded bythe elephants, a delightful but most unexpected vision in the jungle."
"Did you--oh, did you really like me that very first day?" she askedeagerly. At the moment the answer seemed to her the most important thing inthe world.
As a lover will do Dermot deceived himself and imagined that his love hadbeen born at the first sight of her. He told her so; and the girl forgotthe imminent, deadly peril about them in the glow of happiness that warmsthe heart of a loving woman who hears that she has been beloved from thebeginning.
"But I looked so absurd," she said dreamily; "so untidy, when you first sawme. Why, my hair was all down."
He laughed again; but the laughter died from his lips as the remembrance oftheir situation returned to him. Death was ordinarily little to him; thoughnow life could be so sweet since she loved him. It seemed a terrible thingthat this young girl must die so soon--and probably by his own hand to saveher from a worse fate.
She guessed his thoughts.
"Is this really the end, dear?" she asked, unwilling but unafraid to meetdeath. "Is there no hope for us?"
"I fear not, beloved."
"I--I don't want to die so soon. Before you came tonight I wouldn't haveminded very much; for I was not happy. But now it's a little hard, just asthis wonderful thing has happened to me."
She sighed. He held out his arms again, and she crept into them and nestledinto his embrace.
"Well, if it must be so, I'll try to be worthy of my soldier and notdisgrace you, dear," she said fondly, bravely. "Let's try to forget it fora while and not let it spoil our last hours together. Let's 'make-believe,'as the children say. Let's pretend that this is all a hideous nightmare,that our lives and our love are before us."
So through the long, dread night with the hideous menace never out of theirminds they talked bravely of what they would like to do, to be--if onlythey were not to die so soon. Several times Noreen left him and went tocomfort, to console the poor Mohammedan women and children to whom she hadgiven shelter. Her brother refused to allow Dermot to relieve him on watch,saying that he could not sleep or rest, and begging him instead to remainwith the girl to cheer her, to hearten her in the awful hours of waitingfor the end.
So Dermot was with her when a sudden uproar outside caused him to dash outon to the verandah. From behind the barricade on the front verandah Dalehamwas watching.
"What is it? Are they attacking?" cried the soldier.
"No. It's not an attack. They're cheering somebody, I think, and firinginto the air."
Dermot stared out. Men ran forward to the smouldering ruins of the factoryand threw on them tins of kerosene oil, looted from the murdered Parsi'sshop, until the flames blazed up again and lit up the scene. The hundredsof coolies were cheering and crowding round a body of men in red coats.
"I believe it's the Rajah's infantry," said Dermot. "Are they going toattack? Sher Afzul, wake up the others and tell them to be on their guard.Give me that rifle, Daleham."
So Noreen did not see her lover again until the sun rose on a scene ofdesolation and ruin. Smoke and sparks still came from the blackened heapsof the destroyed buildings. The cordon of sentries had apparently beenwithdrawn; but when Daleham climbed up on the barricade to get a betterview a shot was fired from somewhere and a bullet tore up the ground beforethe bungalow.
A couple of hours dragged slowly by; and then a servant doing sentry on thefront verandah reported a cloud of dust on the road from the forest leadingto the village. Dermot went out on the front verandah which looked towardsthe coolie lines and put up the glasses.
"Some men on horses. Yes, and a motor-car coming slowly behind them," hesaid to Daleham and his sister, who had followed him out. "It's the Rajahand his escort, I suppose. Things will begin to move now."
When the newcomers reached the village a storm of shouting arose. Volleyafter volley of shots were fired, conch-shells blown, tom-toms beaten.
"Yes, there's no doubt of it. It must be that fat brute," said Daleham.
Half an hour went by. The sun was high in the heavens. The landscape wasbare of life. Not a man was visible. But presently from the village came alittle figure, a naked little coolie boy. He moved slowly towards thebungalow, stopping every few minutes to look back to the huts, thenadvancing again with evident reluctance.
Dermot watched him through the glass. The whole garrison was on theverandah.
"He's a messenger. I see a letter in his hand," said the soldier. "Poorlittle devil, he's in an awful funk. None of the cowards dared do itthemselves, so they beat this child and made him come."
At last the frightened infant reached the bungalow, and Sher Afzul met himand took the letter from him. Fred tore it open. It was written byChunerbutty and couched in the most offensive terms. If within half an hourMiss Daleham came willingly to the Rajah, her brother's life would bespared and he would be given a safe conduct to Calcutta. But everyone elsein the bungalow would be put to death, including the white man reported tohave entered it during the night. If the girl did not surrender, herbrother would be killed with the rest and she herself taken by force.
Dermot acquainted the Mohammedan servants with the contents, to show themthat there was no hope for them, so that they would fight to the death. Thelittle boy was told that there was no answer, and Daleham gave him a fewcopper coins;
but the scared child dropped them as though they were red hotand scampered back to the village as fast as his little legs would carryhim.