for, by this time, there was a furious knocking
at the gate. "Wrap yourself up in this native robe."

"But the others, Mr. Bathurst, can't you save them too?"

"Impossible," he said. "Even if they got out, they would be overtaken
and killed at once. Come!" And taking her hand, he led her to the gate.

"Stand back here so that the gate will open on you," he said. Then he
undid the bar, shouting, "Treachery; the prisoners are escaping!"

As he undid the last bolt the gate opened and the soldiers rushed in,
firing at random as they did so. Bathurst had stepped behind the gate
as it opened, and as the soldiers ran up the yard he took Isobel's hand,
and, passing through the gate, ran with her round the building until he
reached the spot where Rabda was awaiting them. Half a minute later her
father joined them.

"Let us go at once, there is no time for talking," he said. "We must be
cautious, the firing will wake the whole quarter;" for by this time
loud shouts were being raised, and men, hearing the muskets fired,
were running towards the gate. Taking advantage of the shelter of the
shrubbery as much as they could, they hurried on until they issued into
the open country.

"Do you feel strong enough to walk far?" Bathurst asked, speaking for
the first time since they left the gate.

"I think so," she said; "I am not sure whether I am awake or dreaming."

"You are awake, Miss Hannay; you are safe out of that terrible prison."

"I am not sure," the girl said, speaking slowly; "I have been strange
since I went there. I have seemed to hear voices speaking to me, though
no one was there, and no one else heard them; and I am not sure whether
all this is not fancy now."

"It is reality, Miss Hannay. Take my hand and you will see that it
is solid. The voices you heard were similar to those I heard at
Deennugghur; they were messages I sent you by means of Rujub and his
daughter."

"I did think of what you told me and about the juggler, but it seemed
so strange. I thought that my brain was turning with trouble; it was
bad enough at Deennugghur, but nothing to what it has been since that
dreadful day at Bithoor. There did not seem much hope at Deennugghur.
But somehow we all kept up, and, desperate as it seemed, I don't think
we ever quite despaired. You see, we all knew each other; besides, no
one could give way while the men were fighting and working so hard for
us; but at Cawnpore there seemed no hope. There was not one