miles, Mrs. Grimwood saw that the Residency, her home for three happy
years, was in flames. Her husband a prisoner, and her home destroyed,
it would not have been surprising if Mrs. Grimwood had been too
grief-stricken to continue the journey on foot. But she plodded on
bravely in her thin house-shoes, and with her clothes heavy with water.
Sometimes the hills were so steep that she had to climb them on hands
and knees, but she never complained, and did not hamper the progress of
the force. Not until twenty miles had been covered did she have a
rest, and then, thoroughly exhausted, she wrapped herself in the
overcoats which the officers lent her, and lay down and slept.

A few hours later the retreating force, hungry, tired and somewhat
dispirited, resumed its march. Mrs. Grimwood's feet were cut and sore,
but she tramped on bravely in the military boots which had been given
her to replace her thin worn-out shoes. They had now travelled beyond
the country with which Mrs. Grimwood was familiar, and no one knew the
way. They pushed on in the direction which they believed to be the
right one, but without being able to obtain anything to eat. When,
however, they had been two days without food, they came suddenly upon
some Manipuri soldiers cooking rice. The Manipuris, taken by surprise,
fled quickly, leaving their rice to fall into the hands of the starving
British force.

Refreshed by the meal which they had so unexpectedly obtained, the
British resumed their journey, but they had not gone far when they
found a stockade barring their way. The defenders opened fire on them
at once, and as the British had no ammunition they rushed the stockade,
causing the Manipuris to run for their lives.

The British officers now decided to remain for a time in the captured
stockade, but soon a large body of men was seen advancing towards it.
Were they Ghurkhas or Manipuris? No one could tell, and reliance could
not be placed on a bugle call, as both Ghurkhas and Manipuris had the
same one. It was believed by the majority that the advancing men were
Manipuris, and one of the officers told Mrs. Grimwood that he had two
cartridges left, one for her and one for himself, if the men proved to
be the enemy.

But they were not the enemy. A sharp-eyed man discovered a white
officer among the advancing soldiers, and this was ample proof that
they were Ghurkhas. A cheer from the stockade was answered by one from
the approaching men,