At that very moment a rebel turned round, and, riding straight for the English subaltern, discharged his piece into Battye’s body from a distance of twenty yards. The deed was avenged! Subadar Merban Sing, captain of the Gurkha company of the Guides, had dashed forward and cut down the sepoy as he fired, but too late to save that precious life. Battye was carried off the field, wounded mortally; and as he lay dying in terrible pain, he turned to the chaplain who attended him, and smiling said: “Dulce et decorum est pro patria mori!”
Thus died a gallant officer and true gentleman. Since that date there has hardly been a campaign in which the Guides have not been officered by a Battye.
The Guides Infantry were now allotted a position on the Ridge, under the orders of Major Reid, who had been placed in command of the advanced posts. Two companies of the 60th Rifles also took up their quarters in Hindu Rao’s house, for it soon became evident that the Sirmur Battalion would have to bear the brunt of all attacks.
But the little Himalayans did not grumble at that.
On the very first opportunity that presented itself, our three friends foregathered to talk over the events of the past few years. The two seniors placidly smoked their pipes and congratulated themselves on belonging to regiments that had proved their loyalty.
Jim was forced to submit, with as much good-temper and cheerfulness as could have been expected under the circumstances, to his cousin’s quizzing enquiries and humorous comments in the matter of his love affair and engagement. Charlie simply wanted to know everything, and, with as good a grace as possible for a shy young man, Jim laughingly endeavoured to parry the embarrassing questions.
“Well, tell me what she’s like, man, can’t you? Teddy here can’t say anything concerning her appearance, except that he’s head over heels in love with her himself.—— And I’m sure that’s no recommendation for any girl!” Captain Dorricot added, as an afterthought.
Ted hereupon indulged in an exclamation and gesture expressive of dissent, and of the supreme contempt in which he held his cousin.
“What’s that, Ted? You never said anything of the sort? Why, you young bargee, of course you did!” went on the tormentor. “You talked of poisoning Jim’s grub, and what not.—— Well, Captain Russell, once more: Are her eyes black, blue, brown, purple, violet, green, yellow, red, or a mixture, or perchance, is she an albino?”
“Oh, I dunno! Something between green and blue, as you seem so anxious to know.”