ey
arrived I asked a young chap called Dawkins who they were. He
mentioned several names, and among them was Springfield's.

'"What Springfield?" I asked, for I remembered I had a distant relative
of that name.

'"Oh, he was in Upper Egypt. His family came from Devonshire, and he
was a great friend of Maurice St. Mabyn who was killed. Poor chap,
when he told us the story he nearly broke down. I never knew he had so
much feeling in him."

'I don't know why it was, but I lost my head. I suppose the fellow's
hypocrisy disgusted me so that I blurted out what St. Mabyn told me to
keep quiet.

'"The blackguard," I said "he deserves to be shot, and will be shot, or
hanged!"

'"Who's a blackguard?" asked Dawkins.

'"Springfield," I replied. "Grieving about the death of Maurice St.
Mabyn! Why, the coward, he--he--; but Maurice St. Mabyn will turn up
again, and--and----"

'"But St. Mabyn's dead!" cried Dawkins. "I saw it reported myself."

'"He isn't dead?" I blurted out.

'"But how can that be?" asked Dawkins.

'"Because I believe in my own eyes and ears," I replied.

'After that, I was under the impression that I was watched and
followed. More than once when I thought I was alone I heard stealthy
footsteps behind me, but although I tried to verify my suspicions I
could not. However, I did not trouble, for in due time I started for
home. I arranged to break my journey to Bombay at a place where I had
been stationed for six months. It was only a one horse sort of a show,
but I had some pals there, and they had insisted on my spending a day
or two with them. It took me three days to get there, and on my
arrival I found a long telegram purporting to be from my colonel,
requesting me to go to an outpost station where important information
would be given me. It also urged me to be silent about it.

'Of course, although I was on leave, I was anxious to fall in with my
colonel's wishes, and so, instead of going straight on to Bombay, when
I left my pals, I went towards this outpost station.'

'Were you alone?' I asked.

'Except for my native servant whom I had arranged to take back to
England with me. We had not gone far when my servant stopped. "There
is something wrong, master," he said. "Let us go back."

'He had scarcely spoken, when there was the crack of a pistol, and
several men pounced upon me. I was thrown from my horse, and very
roughly handled.'

'Did you see the men?' I asked.

My f