The Red Year: A Story of the Indian MutinyTracy, Louis
History
The Red Year: A Story of the Indian Mutiny
Tracy, Louis
India -- History -- Sepoy Rebellion, 1857-1858 -- Fiction
Within a minute the newcomer was admitted. It was Ungud, who had run
the gauntlet of the enemy's pickets and who now triumphantly produced
Havelock's letter to "Larrence-sahib Bahadur." Alas, Henry Lawrence was
dead, but Brigadier Inglis, who succeeded him in the command, now learnt
that Havelock had defeated Nana Sahib, occupied Cawnpore, and was
advancing to the relief of Lucknow.
How the great news buzzed through the Residency! How men grasped each
other's hands in glee and exultation and sought leave to take the joyful
tidings to the hospital and the women's quarters!
Mayne aroused Winifred to tell her.
"Perhaps Malcolm was able to get through to Allahabad," he said. "When
you come to think of the difficulties in the way of our troops--this
man says they have fought three if not four pitched battles between
Fattehpore and Cawnpore--we have been unreasonable in looking for help
so soon."
"Mr. Malcolm would surely succeed if it were possible. He understands
the native character so well and is so proficient in their language,
that he was the best man who could be chosen for such a task."
And that was all that Winifred would say about "Mr. Malcolm," who would
have been the most miserable and the most astonished person in India
that night had he known how bitter was the girl's heart against him.
Though Winifred was not to blame, for the necklace and the pass offered
strong evidence of double-dealing on her lover's part, her unjust
suspicions were doomed to receive a severe shock.
In the morning she heard that Captain Fulton wished to see her. She left
her quarters by a covered way and waited outside the Begum Kotee until a
soldier found Fulton.
He came, bringing with him a native.
"This is the man who arrived from Cawnpore last night, Miss Mayne," he
said. "He has a letter for you, but he refuses to deliver it to any one
but yourself. I fancy," added the gallant engineer officer with a smile,
"that the sender impressed on him the importance of its reaching the
right hands."
Winifred caught a glimpse of Frank's handwriting. Her face grew scarlet.
For one delightful instant she forgot the harsh thoughts she had
harbored against him. Then the scourge of memory tortured her. Fulton's
kindly assumption that Malcolm was her fiancé must be dispelled and she
bit her lower lip in vexation at the tell-tale rush of color that had
mantled her cheeks when Ungud discharged his trust and gave her the
letter.
"It is from Captain Malcolm," she said coldly. "I suppose he wishes his
personal belongings to be safeguarded. I am surprised he did not write
to my uncle rather than to me."
Fulton was surprised, but he laughed lightly.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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