+-------------------------------------------------+ |Transcriber’s note: | | | |Obvious typographic errors have been corrected. | | | +-------------------------------------------------+ THE GREAT WHITE HAND OR THE TIGER OF CAWNPORE THE GREAT WHITE HAND OR THE TIGER OF CAWNPORE A Story of the Indian Mutiny [Illustration: Text] By J. E. MUDDOCK Author of “_Maid Marian and Robin Hood_;” “_The Dead Man’s Secret_;” “_Stories Weird and Wonderful_;” “_Stormlight_;” “_For God and the Czar_;” “_Only a Woman’s Heart_;” “_From the Bosom of the Deep_;” “_Basile the Jester_;” “_Stripped of the Tinsel_;” “_The Star of Fortune_;” _&c._ LONDON Hutchinson _&_ Co. 34 Paternoster Row, E.C. 1896 _To the Memory of_ _MY FATHER_ _A true gentleman, brave, upright, faithful; who after many long years of devotion to duty in India--and when on the eve of returning to his native land--sank very suddenly to his eternal rest in March, 1861, and sleeps “Till the day break,” in The Circular Road Cemetery, Calcutta, I dedicate this book._ CONTENTS Chap. Page PREFACE ix I. THE RISING OF THE STORM 1 II. THE MYSTERY OF THE CHUPATTIES 13 III. THE STORM BREAKS 23 IV. THE PALACE OF THE MOGUL 36 V. THE TREACHERY OF THE KING 48 VI. HEROIC DEFENCE OF THE MAGAZINE 56 VII. HAIDEE AND HER WRONGS 65 VIII. A PERILOUS MISSION 74 IX. HOPES AND FEARS 85 X. A NARROW ESCAPE 97 XI. STARTLING NEWS 108 XII. WAKING DREAMS 120 XIII. FOR LIBERTY AND LIFE 128 XIV. THE TIGER OF CAWNPORE 135 XV. AS ARMOUR IMPENETRABLE 146 XVI. A DEADLY STRIFE 156 XVII. FOR LIFE AND LOVE 164 XVIII. WITH A LOVE THAT PASSETH UNDERSTANDING 172 XIX. FROM CAPTIVITY TO CAPTIVITY 185 XX. AS A BIRD IS ENSNARED 196 XXI. THE VOICE OF THE CHARMER 205 XXII. THE LION HEARTS 214 XXIII. AS WITH AN ENCHANTER’S WAND 224 XXIV. “SHIVA THE DESTROYER” 235 XXV. THE LAST GRAND STRUGGLE 241 XXVI. THE SWORD OF DAMOCLES SWINGS 248 XXVII. WITH SWIFT STRIDES NEMESIS MOVES ON 256 XXVIII. “THE BATTLE OF THE BRIDGE” 264 XXIX. RETRIBUTION 274 XXX. NEW HOPES 279 XXXI.