oming," I said, as the galloping of a horse was heard.

"Their last man," said Brace. "Open out, my lads, and capture him."

The horseman came on at a swinging gallop, and made straight for us,
checking his charger as he drew near, and we saw that the face of the
rider was white.

"Where's your officer?" he cried hoarsely, as he reined up, with his
sword hanging by the knot from his wrist.

"Here," replied Brace.

"Thank God!" cried the new-comer. "I'm Mason--Captain Mason, 04th
Highlanders. You fired on those bloodthirsty scoundrels."

"And scattered the regiment. I could do no more."

"Ah, if you could have shot them to a man! We were called away to help
at Miapore, where a sepoy regiment mutinied. It was a long march, and
as soon as we had gone--the European officers of that cursed regiment
answering for their men's fidelity--they rose and murdered the poor
fellows who trusted them, and then--"

He stopped there and groaned.

"My wife--her sister--two of my little children--the whole of the
English residents, and--Oh, why don't you pursue? Hah!"

"Take care!" I roared, as I snatched sword from sheath, pistol from
holster, and fired, for, from out of the gathering darkness, a dozen of
the sowars, men who had recovered their horses, or those of slain men,
dashed down upon us like a whirlwind right for where Brace stood talking
to the Highland officer.

As I fired into the thick of them, I saw one man throw up his sword, but
I also saw a fierce-looking savage charge right at Brace, who was
unprepared; the sowar's sword was raised, and he made a tremendous cut
at our captain, one which must have ended his career; but, quick with
the quickness begotten by practice and peril, our new friend caught and
raised the point of his sword; and in the act of delivering his cut, the
man was literally transfixed. He fell back over the cantrel of his
saddle, and as his horse dashed on, he was dragged out of the saddle by
Captain Mason's jerk to withdraw his sword.

I saw all this, and almost at the same moment was conscious of a
crushing blow on the head, accompanied by a terrible shock, and then I
was looking stupidly at the doctor, who was kneeling by me in the road.

"Here, what is it?" I cried angrily. "Who was it rode me down? Is my
horse hurt?"

"Never mind your horse, Gil. Speak, lad. Doctor. His head?"

"Oh, his head's right enough," said the doctor, as I struggled into a
sitting position, and