The man's two companions were greatly under the influence of drink, but they had sense enough left to try and control their drunken friend; and as I kept back unseen in the darkness, I saw them check the fellow when an insane desire had come upon him to kick and hammer at the officers' quarters; and later on they engaged in a struggle, when he swore that he would go and let loose every horse in the troop. All this made me so indignant with the idiot that I was several times on the point of interfering, but I thought that nature would punish the fellow enough the next day, and kept back, waiting to see the others get him to his quarters. But, in spite of my determination, I found myself unexpectedly dragged into the affair; for, just as they were near Lieutenant Barton's quarters, two of the syces' wives came by, and with a shout the man escaped from his comrades' grasp, made a rush at the two frightened women, and caught one of them in his arms. She cried aloud for help, and a couple of the native servants rushed out; one of them seizing the drunken gunner, and, in the brief struggle which ensued, I saw the two women run away, while their assailant held on to one of the white-clothed men, and, steadying himself, began striking him savagely, while the syce made no resistance, but passively received the blows. "The fool!" I said to myself, as I hurried up, thinking that if it had been an Englishman instead of a native, our drunken gunner would have received a severe thrashing. I did not pause to consider any consequences, but just watched my opportunity, and as the Englishman struck the syce heavily with his right hand, as he held the poor fellow with his left, I, too, delivered a stinging blow, as I ran in, right in the gunner's ear, and then stood astonished at what I had done. For the next moment the fellow had gone down heavily, his head striking against a stone, and then he rolled over and lay still, with the syce standing close by looking on. "You've killed him, sir," said one of the man's comrades, as he went down on one knee by his side and raised his head. "Serve the brute right," I said passionately. "Yes; he's pretty bad," growled the other, as he, too, bent down over his comrade, the affair having pretty well sobered them, as it had sobered me, too; for a chill of horror ran through me at the very thought of the man's words being true. "Here, you," I said roughly; "go and tell the sergeant of the guard. What, you in trouble again, Ny Deen?" "Yes, sahib," said the syce softly, for I had recognised Barton's groom. He ran off quickly, and the sergeant and a couple of men came up just as Barton was returning to his quarters. "Hillo! what's up?" he said; "an accident?" "No," I said shortly; "this drunken fellow was insulting our women, and then ill-using your syce for protecting them, and I knocked him down." "And you have done it, sir," grumbled the sergeant. "I'm afraid he isn't going to come to."