atics outside the gates,
who burst forth with their war-cry of "Allah! Allah--uh!"

"We're done, Graves," said the Major in an awestricken, whisper. "It's
the fodder-store, and it will attack our quarters soon. It's all of
wood."

"If it does we shall see how to die fighting," said the Colonel
hoarsely, as a wreath of flame and sparks rolled out of a two-story
building at the far end of the court, lighting up the whole place and
revealing all the horrors of the scene.

CHAPTER TWENTY.

NON-COMBATANTS.

Meanwhile, completely cut off by the enemy from the rest of the
garrison, the occupants of the hospital made such preparations as they
could to strengthen their defences. Little enough they were, consisting
as they did of three or four pieces of wood placed like stays from the
floor to the cross-pieces of the roughly-made door; and when it was done
the Doctor said sadly:

"It's of no use. If they come with a rush they will drive that in as if
it were so much cardboard."

"Let them," said Bracy. "They will find three bayonets and a
sword-point ready for them to fall upon."

"Yes; and then?" said the Doctor bitterly. "There will be four bodies
lying in front of us between our breasts and the men who come on, and so
again and again till we have made a rampart of the wretched bodies."

"Very well in theory, my good patient," said the Doctor sadly; "but I'm
afraid we shall have made part of the breastwork ourselves. These
Ghazis not only know how to fight, but they do fight as if there were no
such thing as fear."

"There's not much of that in British soldiers when they are at bay,"
said Bracy proudly. "But it's of no use to talk, Doctor; we must defend
this door to the last, and then retreat into the ward, barricading that
next."

"And after that?"

"There are my quarters: but we must carry the helpless in there first."

"And lastly?"

"Never mind that," said Bracy coldly; "let us get through firstly and
secondly; a dozen things may happen before then."

"Hist!" whispered Mrs Gee. "Some one is coming."

All listened, and heard a swift movement like a hand being passed over
the rough door as if feeling for the fastening. Then there were several
hard thrusts, and directly after a quick whispering, a scratching as of
feet against the wall, and then a slight change in the appearance of the
window, the darkness growing a little deeper. In an instant there was
the loud rattle of a rifle being t