Part 34 (1/2)

Six-and-twenty horse full-tilt at a thousandWhat they hit, they kill; and if they succeed in striking home, they play old Harry with fored direction suddenly and, instead of using up his horses' strength in outflanking the ene target of his small co to do in war He led his six-and-twenty at a headlong gallop straight for the middle of the crowd-it could not be called by any ed volley at him and then had no ti right and left and pressing forward They gave way, right and left, before hiood number of them ran Half a hundred of the-line At that second, just as the Risaldar and his handful burst through thewildly out of his way, the British bugles blared out the coht between a fire and a charge that they had good reason to fear in front of thehtAs one-half of the from this unexpected quarter, the British troops came on with a roar, and at the sa-line and crashed headlong into it

In a second the whole Indian line was in confusion and in anotherwhat had routed it Retreat grew into panic and panic to stampede and, five minutes after the Risaldar's appearance on the scene, half of the Indian line was rushi+ng wildly for Hanadra and the other half was retiring sullenly in comparatively dense and decent order

Bellairs could not see all that happened The suns obscured the view, and the necessity for giving orders to hisas he would have wished But he saw the Rajputs burst out through the Indian ranks and he saw his own charger-Shaitan the un across the plain toward hiroaned, raising both fists to heaven, ”has she got this far, and then been killed! Oh, what in Hades did I entrust her to an Indian for? The pig-headed, brave old fool! Why couldn't he ride round theroaned aloud, too wretched even to think of what his duty was, a galloper rode up to hiuns, sir, please!” he ordered ”You're asked to hurry! Take up position on that rising ground and warm up the ene to hiuns were thundering up the rise

As he brought theure out the range, a finger touched his shoulder and he turned to see another artillery officer standing by him

”I've been lent from another section,” he explained: ”You're wanted”

”Where?”

”Over there, where you see Colonel Carter standing It's your ants you, I think!”

Bellairs did not wait for explanations He sent for his horse andspace at a breakneck gallop that he could barely stop in ti the colonel over A second later he was in Ruth's arht you were dead when I saw Shaitan!” he said He was nearly sobbing

”No, Mahommed Khan rode hi She was crying like a child

”Salaam, Bellairs sahib!” said a weak voice close to hiure, lifting the head up on his knee There were three Rajputs standing between, though, and he could not see whose the figure was

”Co Bellairs obeyed hiround where she was

”Wouldn't you care to thank Mohammed Khan?” It was a little cruel of the colonel to put quite so much venom in his voice, for, when all is said and done: a etful when he has just had his young wife brought hiood excuse for it The sting of the reproof left hi down at the old Risaldar, saying nothing and feeling very rowing feebler ”I would have done more for thy father's son! Thou art welcoood one! Good-by! Time is short, and I would talk with the colonel sahib!”

He waved Bellairs aith a ain

”He sent me away just like that, too!” she told him ”He said he had no tiain above the Risaldar, and listened to as much as he had time to tell of what had happened

”But couldn't you have ridden round them, Risaldar?” he asked theave the touch! I saw as I rode how close the issue was and I saw my chance and took it! Had the memsahib been slain, she had at least died in full view of the English-and there was a battle to be won What would you? I am a soldier-I”

”Indeed you are!” swore Colonel Carter