eeding, and bound up the
cut.

"A set of black scoundrels, are they," I said to myself. "Well, some of
them have feeling, and a way of showing their gratitude."

I took up and smelt the fragrant white blossoms thoughtfully; and then I
remember saying to myself, for those events were stamped pretty deeply
in my memory--

"An Englishman would never have dreamed of sending flowers like that. I
dare say it means something, if one only knew."

A few days after, when I had almost forgotten the incident, save that I
always politely returned Ny Deen's salute when I passed him, I was
returning to my quarters one evening, when--not at all an uncommon
thing--I heard loud voices in front, and saw that three of our men were
going unsteadily along, evidently after too long a stay at one of the
wretched places where they were supplied with the poisonous arrack which
was answerable for the miserable death of so many British soldiers. One
of the men in particular was in that noisy, excited state when reason
seems to have run riot, and folly and madness have been taken for
companions.

The man's two companions were greatly under the influence of drink, but
they had sense enough left to try and control their drunken friend; and
as I kept back unseen in the darkness, I saw them check the fellow when
an insane desire had come upon him to kick and hammer at the officers'
quarters; and later on they engaged in a struggle, when he swore that he
would go and let loose every horse in the troop.

All this made me so indignant with the idiot that I was several times on
the point of interfering, but I thought that nature would punish the
fellow enough the next day, and kept back, waiting to see the others get
him to his quarters.

But, in spite of my determination, I found myself unexpectedly dragged
into the affair; for, just as they were near Lieutenant Barton's
quarters, two of the syces' wives came by, and with a shout the man
escaped from his comrades' grasp, made a rush at the two frightened
women, and caught one of them in his arms.

She cried aloud for help, and a couple of the native servants rushed
out; one of them seizing the drunken gunner, and, in the brief struggle
which ensued, I saw the two women run away, while their assailant held
on to one of the white-clothed men, and, steadying himself, began
striking him savagely, while the syce made no resistance, but passively
received the blows.

"The fool!" I said to myself