.

"Good God! They're out again. Hi--You! What's the _tamasha_?" he called
to the nearest group.

They responded with wild gestures, and fled on. But one lagged a little,
being fat and scant of breath; and Roy shouted again. This time the note
of command took effect.

"Where are you all running? Is there trouble?" he asked.

"Big trouble, Sahib--Amritsar," answered the fleshly one, wiping the
dusty sweat from his forehead, and shaking it unceremoniously from his
finger-tips. "Word comes that our leaders are taken. Mahatma Ghandi,
also. The people are burning and looting; Bank-_ghar_,[29] Town
Hall-_ghar_; killing many Sahibs and one Mem-sahib. _Hai! hai_! Now
there will be _hartal_ again; Committee _ki raj_. No food; no work.
_Hai! hai!_[30] Ghandi _ki jai_!"

"Confound the man!" muttered Roy, not referring to the woebegone one.
"Look here, Rose, if they're wedged up near Anarkali, we must change our
route. I expect the squadron's out; and I ought to be with it----"

"Thank God, you're _not_. It's quite bad enough----" She set her teeth.
"Oh, _come_ on."

Back they sped, at a hand-gallop, past the Fort and the Badshahi Mosque;
then, neck and neck down the long straight road, that vibrant roar
growing louder with every stride.

Near the Church they slackened speed. The noise had become terrific,
like a hundred electric engines; and there was more than excitement in
it--there was fury.

"Sunday was a treat to this," remarked Roy. "We shan't get on to the
Mall."

"We can go through Mozung," said Rose coolly. "But I want to _see_--as
far as one can. The Pater's bound to be there."

Roy, while admiring her coolness, detected beneath it a repressed
intensity, very unlike her. But his own urgent sensations left no room
for curiosity; and round the next swerve they drew rein in full view of
a sight that neither would forget while they lived.

The wide road, stretching away to the Lahori gate, was thronged with a
shouting, gesticulating human barrier; bobbing heads and lifted arms,
hurling any missile that came to hand--stones, bricks, lumps of
refuse--at the courageous few who held them in check.

Cavalry and police, as on Sunday, blocked the turning into the Mall; and
Roy instantly recognised the silhouette of Lance, sitting erect and
rigid, doubtless thinking unutterable things.

Low roofs of buildings, near the road, were alive with shadowy figures,
running, yelling, hurling bricks and mud from a half-demol