to Gerrard.

"Look here, Hal; the Rani is going for vengeance, not victory--thinking
of nothing but cutting through to Sher Singh's elephant. Her men will
be swallowed up, unless you can make a diversion. Break the enemy up a
bit, and I'll bring the Darwanis down and finish 'em."

"Better ride round the hill and come at them from a different
direction," suggested Gerrard.

"All right. I'll support you," and as Gerrard led the disgusted and
protesting Habshiabad cavalry away from the fight, Charteris sent off
the doctor to Bishen Ram, whose soldiers had remained inactive since
they had been ordered to cease firing for fear of hitting the Rani's
horsemen. Now they were to advance and attack the portion of Sher
Singh's troops immediately below them, thus creating a diversion and
distracting attention from the direction in which Gerrard would make
his charge. Charteris was watching the melee in the plain rather than
the doctor's progress, but presently an exclamation from his Darwanis
made him look round. The Granthis had risen to their feet, and before
the doctor could give his message, saluted him with a volley. He
turned his horse and rode back, pursued by a dropping fire, some of the
bullets falling among the Darwanis, to their intense excitement.

"They fired at me!" he gasped indignantly. "A bullet went through my
hat, and another grazed my leg. My horse is hit, too."

"Well, don't be so precious injured about it," said Charteris. "Most
men would think they were uncommon lucky to escape from the fire of two
regiments with nothing worse. When you have finished counting your
bruises, just ride to Warner, and tell him to lay every gun he has dead
on the Granthis. If they attempt to fire or to move down towards Sher
Singh, he is to fire upon them. If they persist, let him mow them down
without mercy--plug into them with grape and canister and everything
he's got."

The doctor rode away, and Charteris turned his attention again to the
field, where the Rani, supported by a lessening phalanx of her men, was
steadily cutting her way towards Sher Singh. Watching through his
glass, the Englishman saw a movement in the gilded howdah of the
Rajah's elephant, saw that a man in gleaming crimson and a golden
turban was taking careful aim with a long matchlock. Charteris had
barely time to remember the tale of Sher Singh's skill in shooting
which he had heard at Adamkot before the Rani flung up her arms and
fell