ht.

"They will believe, as they see us coming, that the rest of the cavalry
are following, and will not dare to stand the charge," he exclaimed.

The rajah, however, hesitated. "It would be useless," he answered. "At
the return of day they would discover our scanty forces and hem us in.
The only chance we have to save our lives is to retreat; and we can
return again before long and avenge our defeat."

Reginald did his best to restrain his feelings, but he was confident
that, had his plan been followed, it would have been successful. While
they were yet speaking, a sepoy without his musket came rushing up the
hill, shouting out--

"All have been cut to pieces!"

Two or three others were behind him, hotly pursued by a band of the
mountaineers, who were quickly upon them, when they were cut down
without mercy.

Without attempting to rescue the poor fellow who first escaped, the
rajah wheeled round his horse, and ordering his troopers to follow,
galloped off along the side of the hill in the direction the rest of the
cavalry had taken. The ground, however, was rough in the extreme, and
in the darkness of night they could with difficulty guide their horses
amid the rocks. Reginald, though feeling no small amount of indignation
at the cowardly conduct of the troops, saw that at present it would be
useless to urge the rajah to turn and attack the enemy. He hoped,
however, that they should soon overtake the rest of the cavalry, who
would probably, he thought, halt when they found that they were not
pursued, and, it might be, feeling ashamed of their cowardice, return to
ascertain what had become of their chief.

Just as the grey light of morning began to penetrate the valley,
Reginald, who was riding by the side of the rajah, caught sight of the
rear of the fugitives at some distance ahead. The cowardly troopers
were soon overtaken, for their horses were blown from their rapid gallop
over the rough and hilly ground.

The rajah, concealing his rage, inquired why they had deserted him.

"We believed that you and all who remained behind were destroyed, and
that our only chance of saving our lives and revenging your death was to
fly," answered several officers whom the rajah addressed, speaking all
together that they might support each other.

The rajah well knew that their object in going off was to leave him and
his faithful guards to be cut to pieces; but still concealing his real
feelings, he observed with