e, with her eyes cast down, she
thanked me; and the question I had been asking myself--Did she love
Harry Lant better than me?--was to my mind answered, and I gave a groan
as I saw them walk off together, for it struck me then that they had
engaged to meet in that room, only Harry Lant was late.

"Never mind," I says to myself; "I've done a comrade a good turn." And
then I thought more and more of there being a feeling in the blacks'
minds that their hour was coming, or that ill-looking scoundrel would
never have dared to insult a white woman in open day.

Ten minutes after, I was on my way to Captain Dyer, for, in spite of
what Lizzy had said, I felt that, being under orders, it was my duty to
report all that occurred with the blacks; for we might at any time have
been under siege, and to have had unknown and treacherous enemies in the
camp would have been ruin indeed.

"Well, Smith," he said, smiling as I entered and saluted, "what news of
the enemy?"

"Not much, sir," I said; what I had to tell, going, as I have before
said, very much against the grain. "I was in one of the empty rooms on
the south side, when I heard a scream, and running up, I found it was
Miss Ross."

"What!" he roared, in a voice that would have startled a stronger man
than I.

"Miss Ross's maid, sir, with that black fellow Chunder, the mahout,
trying to kiss her."

"Well!" he said, with a black angry look overspreading his face.

"Well, sir," I said, feeling quite red as I spoke, "he kissed my fist
instead--that's all."

Captain Dyer began to walk up and down, playing with one of the buttons
on his breast as was his way when eager and excited.

"Now, Smith," he said at last, stopping short before me, "what does that
mean?"

"Mean, sir?" I said, feeling quite as excited as himself. "Well, sir,
if you ask me, I say that if it was in time of peace and quiet, it would
only mean that it was a bit of his black--I beg your pardon, captain," I
says, stopping short, for, you see, it was quite time.

"Go on, Smith," he said quietly.

"His black impudence, sir."

"But, as it is not in time of peace and quiet, Smith?" he said, looking
me through and through.

"Well, sir," I said, "I don't want to croak, nor for other people to
believe what I say; but it seems to me that that black fellow's kicking
out of the ranks means a good deal; and I take it that he is excited
with the news that he has somehow got hold of--news that is getting in