eclared, was stanch to the backbone, and nothing would
make them swerve from their duty. Burnett said the same of his cavalry;
and declared that to a man they were ready to follow him to the death.
Reginald, however, was not convinced; and the very next day Buxsoo
brought him intelligence which confirmed his suspicions. The sepoy
regiments in the British service had lately been armed with Enfield
rifles, and a report had been spread that the cartridges to be used in
them--and the ends of which had to be bitten off--had been greased with
the fat of pigs and bullocks. This was done, it was said, that every
Hindoo soldier might thus become unclean and lose caste, and have no
other resource but to turn Christian; the British Government having
determined, it was affirmed, to compel all its subjects to embrace
Christianity.

"Very miserable Christians they would be, if such were the case,"
observed Buxsoo; "but my poor Hindoo countrymen, brought up in gross
ignorance, are ready to believe the most childish reports."

Information arrived, some few days after this, that at Lucknow and other
places the sepoy troops had mutinied, but that the mutiny had been put
down by a strong hand, and it was believed that order had been restored.
Day after day, however, unsatisfactory intelligence came in from all
quarters; and even in the British provinces bands of the marauders
suddenly sprang up, and commenced plundering and burning villages.
Burnett was accordingly directed to scour the country round Allahapoor,
in order to put a stop to such proceedings.

Buxsoo having informed Reginald that the Mohammedan part of the
population were about to rise and create a riot, the result of which
might probably be the plundering and burning of the city, he immediately
summoned the most influential Mohammedan nobles and others to meet him
in council. They arrived fully armed, many of them assuming a bold and
insolent air, and evidently ready to dispute his authority. As soon as
they were seated, he addressed them in gracious tones; reminding them
that he had not sought the position he now held, and that his sole aim
since assuming the reins of government had been to promote the welfare
of all classes, and to advance the happiness and prosperity of the
country. While he was speaking, he observed Wuzeer Singh glide in and
place himself, with a revolver in each hand, behind his chair of state,
but so excited were the persons assembled that his