After a pause the flag advanced, borne by a coolie.  It was followed by a group of men; and Dermot through the glasses recognised the Rajah and Chunerbutty accompanied by several Brahmins.  They advanced timidly towards the bungalow and stopped a hundred yards away.  After some urging Chunerbutty stepped to the front and called for Daleham to appear.

Fred came through the house from the back verandah, where his place was taken by Sher Afzul.  He looked over the barricade.  Chunerbutty came nearer and shouted: 

“Daleham, the Rajah gives you one more chance to surrender.  You see your case is hopeless.  You can have a quarter of an hour to think things over.  If at the end of that time you and your sister don’t come out, we’ll rush the bungalow and finish you all.”

Standing under the white flag he drew out his watch.

“Thank you,” said Daleham; “and our reply is that if in a quarter of an hour you’re still there, you’ll get a bullet through you, white flag or no white flag.”

He turned to Dermot whose arm was around Noreen as she crouched beside him.

“Well, Major, it’s fifteen more minutes of life, that’s all.”

“Yes, it’s nearly the end now.  I’ve only two cartridges left.”

“We’re all in the same box.  Getting near time we said good-bye.  It was jolly good of you to stick by us, when you might have got away last night.”

Dermot gripped the outstretched hand.

“If I go under first, you’ll not let Noreen fall alive into the hands of those brutes, will you, sir?”

The girl raised her revolver.

“I’ll keep the last cartridge for myself, dear,” she said.

She looked lovingly at Dermot whose arm was still about her.  Her brother betrayed no surprise.

“I’m not afraid to die, dear one,” she whispered to her lover.  “I couldn’t live without you now.  And I’m happy at this moment, happier than I’ve ever been, I think.  But I wish you had saved yourself.”

He mastered his emotion with difficulty.

“Darling, life without you wouldn’t be possible for me either.”

He could not take his eyes from her; and the minutes were flying all too swiftly.  At last he looked at his watch and held out his hand to the boy.

“Good-bye, Daleham, you’ve got your wish.  You’re dying like a soldier for England,” he said.  “We’ve done our share for her.  Now, we’ve three minutes more.  If the Rajah and Chunerbutty come into view again I’ll have them with my last two shots.”

He turned to the girl and took her in his arms for a last embrace.

“Good-bye, sweetheart.  Dear love of my heart.  Pray that we may be together in the next world.”

He paused and listened.

“Are they coming?”

But he did not put her from him.  One second now was worth an eternity.

Then suddenly a distant murmur swelled through the strange silence.  Daleham looked out over the barricade.