But Jim Douglas, lying almost in the arms of death, was not thinking of such things.
"Then Delhi must have fallen," he said suddenly in a stronger voice. "Did Nicholson take it?"
"Yes," she replied quietly, thinking it best to be concise and give him, as it were, a fresh grip on facts. "It has fallen. The King is a prisoner, the Princes have been shot, and most of the troops move on to-morrow toward Agra."
It epitomized the situation beyond the possibility of doubt, and he gave a faint sigh. "Then it is all over. I'm glad to hear it. Tara never knew anything; and it seemed so long."
Had she known and refused to tell, Kate wondered? or in her insane absorption had she really thought of nothing but the chance Fate had thrown in her way of saving this man's life? Yes! it must have been very long. Kate realized this as she watched the spent and weary face before her, its bright, hollow eyes fixed on the glow which was now fast fading from the dome. "All over!" he murmured to himself. "Well! I suppose it couldn't be helped."
She followed his thought unerringly; and a great pity for this man who had done nothing, where others had done so much, surged up in her and made her seek to show his fate no worse than others. Besides, this discouragement was fatal, for it pointed to a lack of that desire for life which is the best weapon against death. She might fail to rouse him, as those had failed who, but a day or two before, had sent a bit of red ribbon representing the Victoria Cross to the dying Salkeld--the hero of the Cashmere gate--and only gained in reply a faint smile and the words, "They will like it at home." Still she would try.
"Yes, it is over!" she echoed, "and it has cost so many lives uselessly. General Nicholson lost his trying to do the impossible--so people say."
Jim Douglas still lay staring at the fading glow. "Dead!" he murmured. "That is a pity. But he took Delhi first. He said he would."
"And my husband----" she began.
He turned then, with curiously patient courtesy. "I know. Nicholson wrote that in his letter. And I have been glad--glad he had his chance, and--and--made so much of it."