tment stole over me as I made out that it was the
trampling of horses; and I had never heard that when the doctor came
before. I had always believed that he came in a palanquin; while these
certainly were horses' feet--yes, and the jingling of accoutrements.

"Why, it must be our troop," I thought, but crushed the delightful
thought on the instant, for there was none of the peculiar rattle made
by the guns and limbers. Could it be a body of sowars? If softly
thoughts went back to the wild gallop I had had in their company, and
one hand stole to my wounded arm, which was there as a reminder of what
I might expect from them.

No wonder my heart beat fast as recollections of their merciless
treatment of their officers came flooding my brain, and I felt that if
they behaved like this to their officers, whom they had sworn to obey,
there would be scant mercy for a prisoner.

The trampling and jingling came nearer, and there was the familiar
snorting of horses, while I was now experienced enough to be able to say
that there was a body of forty or fifty mounted men approaching nearer,
nearer, till a loud order rang out, such as would be given by a native
cavalry officer; a sudden halt; a fresh order, and then one for the men
to dismount, and I was listening for the next ordering the men to draw
swords, when I felt with beating heart that it need not come, for the
men would be lancers. "I'll try and meet it like a man," I said to
myself, "for father's sake, and that of my mother and sister;" but I
could not feel brave, and my eyes were fixed upon the purdah which
screened the entrance to the tent, and, in spite of my weakness, I
struggled up on one arm looking wildly round for a weapon that I could
not have used.

Then there was a quick footstep. The doctor's? No; that of an armed
man. The purdah was swept aside, and a gorgeously dressed chief, robed
in white muslin and shawls of the most delicate fabric, and richly
ornamented with gold, strode into the tent. His white turban glittered
with pearls and diamonds, while his breast and sword-belt and slings
were also encrusted with the same rich gems, so that at every movement
some cluster of precious stones scintillated in the subdued light.

CHAPTER TWENTY NINE.

He crossed at once to my couch, and stood looking down at me, his
handsome, thoughtful face, with its dark eyes, being wonderfully
familiar, as he bent over me; and as he gazed, a smile crossed his lips