olumes of smoke, which had already taken Heideck's
breath away when he had opened the window for a moment, would soon
render it impossible for human beings to stay longer in the heat. All
at once came a heavy knocking at the door, and Morar Gopal, who had been
looking for Heideck everywhere in the hotel, entreated his master to
make his escape as quickly as possible.

The German officer was fully convinced that he had now to exchange one
danger for a peril perhaps even greater. But there was no time for delay
or consideration.

"We are in the midst of a fire, Mrs. Baird," he said. "No one in the
general confusion will attempt to stay the raging element, and if you do
not wish to be stifled with your children, you must follow me. I hope to
be able to bring you, without harm, into the citadel or into some other
place of safety."

Edith Irwin had already taken one of the little girls into her arms; and
when the Colonel's wife was looking about her with a wild expression,
as if she wished to try and save some of her precious valuables, Edith
emphatically insisted upon her hurrying. "There is nothing more precious
than the life of your children. Let everything go, in God's name!"

The poor woman, whose senses now began to fail her in the terrors of the
moment, quietly obeyed the calm instructions of her young friend. The
other residents in the hotel had almost all already fled; only a few
unhappy women, who had completely lost their heads, wandered about the
lower rooms holding all manner of valueless objects, from which they
would not part, in their hands. Heideck called to them to follow him.
But they hardly understood him, and he had no more time to trouble about
the unfortunate creatures.

With a bare sabre in his hand the faithful Hindu endeavoured to make for
his master and those under his protection a path through the crowd which
was surging around the burning houses. It was now quite dark, and only
the red flames weirdly lit up the hideous nocturnal scene. The raging
fanaticism of the crowd appeared during the last half-hour to have
increased in vehemence. These men, at other times so modest, submissive,
and amiable, had suddenly become metamorphosed into a horde of
barbarians. Bare sabres and daggers flashed their menaces on every side,
and the air was rent by a deafening din. Never before had Heideck seen
human beings in such a state of frenzy. With wild gesticulations these
dark-skinned fellows were tossing t