King--of the Khyber Rifles: A Romance of AdventureMundy, Talbot
History
King--of the Khyber Rifles: A Romance of Adventure
Mundy, Talbot
British -- India -- Fiction; Historical fiction; India -- History -- Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-1858 -- Fiction; Love stories; War stories
“That is for the Superintendent of Police at the office. Carriage number
1181, eleven doors from here--the one with the shut door and a big
Hillman inside sitting three places from the door facing the engine.
Get the Hillman! No, there is only one Hillman in the carriage. No, the
others are not his friends; they will not help him. He will fight, but
he has no friends in that carriage.”
The “constabeel” obeyed, not very cheerfully. King stood to watch him
with a foot on the step of a first-class coach. Another constable passed
him, elbowing a snail's progress between the train and the crowd. He
seized the man's arm.
“Go and help that man!” he ordered. “Hurry!”
Then he climbed into the carriage and leaned from the window. He grinned
as he saw both constables pounce on a third-class carriage door and,
with the yell of good huntsmen who have viewed, seize the protesting
Northerner by the leg and begin to drag him forth. There was a fight,
that lasted three minutes, in the course of which a long knife flashed.
But there were plenty to help take the knife away, and the Hillman stood
handcuffed and sullen at last, while one of his captors bound a cut
forearm. Then they dragged him away; but not before he had seen King at
the window, and had lipped a silent threat.
“I believe you, my son!” King chuckled, half aloud. “I surely believe
you! I'll watch! Ham dekta hai!”
“Why was that man arrested?” asked an acid voice behind him; and without
troubling to turn his head, he knew that Major Hyde was to be
his carriage mate again. To be vindictive, on duty or off it, is
foolishness; but to let opportunity slip by one is a crime. He looked
glad, not sorry, as he faced about--pleased, not disappointed--like a
man on a desert island who has found a tool.
“Why was that man arrested?” the major asked again.
“I ordered it,” said King.
“So I imagined. I asked you why.”
King stared at him and then turned to watch the prisoner being dragged
away; he was fighting again, striking at his captors' heads with
handcuffed wrists.
“Does he look innocent?” asked King.
“Is that your answer?” asked the major. Balked ambition is an ugly horse
to ride. He had tried for a command but had been shelved.
“I have sufficient authority,” said King, unruffled. He spoke as if he
were thinking of something entirely different. His eyes were as if they
saw the major from a very long way off and rather approved of him on the
whole.
“Show me your authority, please!”
King dived into an inner pocket and produced a card that had about ten
words written on its face, above a general's signature. Hyde read it and
passed it back.
“So you're one of those, are you!” he said in a tone of voice that would
start a fight in some parts of the world and in some services. But
King nodded cheerfully, and that annoyed the major more than ever; he
snorted, closed his mouth with a snap and turned to rearrange the sheet
and pillow on his berth.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account