“Where was Chunerbutty?”

“Oh, he hadn’t thrown off the mask yet.  He came to me and said he was a prisoner and would not be allowed to leave the estate.  But he advised me to ride over to Granger or some of the other fellows and get their help.  But I wouldn’t leave Noreen; and Sher Afzul told me that it was as bad on the other gardens.  But only today the real trouble began.”

“What happened?”

“Some news apparently reached the coolies that drove them mad with delight.  They murdered the Parsi storekeeper, looted his place, and got drunk on his daru.  Then they started killing the few Mohammedans we had on the estate.  Some of the women and children got to us and we took them in.  But the rest, even the little babies, were murdered by the brutes.

“I went over to Parry, but he was still too drunk to understand me.  I was trying to rouse him when I heard shouts and ran out on the verandah.  All the coolies, men, women, and children, were streaming towards the bungalows, mad with excitement, screaming and yelling.  The men and even most of the boys carried weapons.  The Brahmins were leading them.  They made for Chunerbutty’s house first.  I was going to run to his assistance, when he came out and they cheered him like anything.  He was in native dress and had marks painted on his forehead like the other Brahmins.”

“Yes; go on.  What happened then?”

“The engineer seemed as excited and mad as the rest.  He ran down his steps, put himself at the head of the mob, shouted out something, and pointed to Parry’s bungalow.  They all rushed over to it, yelling like mad.  Poor old Parr heard them and, dazed and drunk, staggered out on the verandah in his pyjamas and bare feet.  Chunerbutty and the Brahmins came up the steps, driving back the crowd, which tried to follow them, howling like demons.”

Fred passed his hand across his eyes.  Dermot bent forward and stared eagerly at him, while Noreen looked only at the soldier.

“I called out to the engineer and asked him what it all meant,” went on the boy, “but he took no notice of me.  Parry tottered towards him, abusing him.  Chunerbutty let him come to within a yard or two, then pulled out a pistol and fired three shots straight at the old man’s heart.  Poor old Parr fell dead.”

Daleham paused for a moment.

“Poor old chap!  He had his faults; but he had his good points, too.  Well, I rushed towards him, but the Bengalis fell on me, knocked me down, and overpowered me.  The mob outside yelled for my blood; but Chunerbutty shut them up.  I was allowed to get on my feet again; and Chunerbutty held a pistol to my head, and cursed me and ordered me to go back to my bungalow and wait.  He said that somebody would come here tomorrow to settle what was to be my fate and to take Noreen.”

The girl sprang up.

“You never told me that,” she cried.

“No; it wasn’t any use distressing you,” replied her brother.  “But I had to tell the Major.”