Vietnam or Thailand ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
Updated: June 20, 2025
I rode with Chitu as a jamadar when we swept through the Nizam's territory and put cities under a tribute of many lakhs, but that was a force of five thousand only, and we swooped through the land like a great flock of hawks. But even at that Chitu, a wonderful chief, was killed by wild animals in the jungle when he was fleeing from disaster, almost alone."
Kassim passed an order and Hunsa was brought, his evil eyes turning from face to face with the restless query of a caged leopard. "There is no paper, Commander Sahib," the jamadar said, returning from his search of the iron-box. "There was none such," Kassim growled; "it was but a Patan lie; the message is yonder," and he pointed to the smear of blood upon the marble floor.
He drew a knife from his sash and slit the tops off, muttering: "If it is here, the message of value, it will be between the two skins of the soles." Now they lay flat and snug in his hand as he quickened his pace. The Gulab heard the shot at the Bagree camp, and Hunsa found her trembling from apprehension. "What has happened, Jamadar?" she cried.
"He will not refuse to do English ladies a service." The jamadar shortly returned, followed by a tall dark-featured European in white clothes. He bowed and smiled pleasantly when he came down to the ghat, and addressed Mrs. Merriman in French. "I am happy to be of service, Madam. Alas! I have no boat at hand, but I shall send instantly to Chandernagore for one.
As Hunsa turned from the ordeal and passed the Gulab Begum to where the Bagrees stood in line, Nana Sahib said, "Do you know, General, what that baboon-faced jamadar made oath to?" "The last one, my Prince?" "Yes, he of the splendid ugliness. He testified, 'If I fail to thrust a knife between the shoulder-blades of Ajeet Singh may Bhowanee cast me as a sacrifice."
"And, little girl, you saved my life." He felt a shudder run through the girl's form, and then she pushed him from her crying, "Sahib Hunsa! Quick!" For the jamadar, recovering his senses, had risen to his knees fumbling at his belt groggily for his knife.
And as the sahib threw himself from the saddle the jamadar, with a snarl like a wounded tiger, dropped the girl and, whirling, grappled with the Englishman.
It was the jamadar who broke the silence; somewhat at a tangent he said: "As to a decoity, Your Honour said that we being of that profession should undertake one." The Dewan roared; the burden of his expostulation was the word liar. But Nana Sahib laughed tolerantly.
Sookdee said, with suspicion in his voice. "Yes, Jamadar; I will open it. We will empty it, and place the iron box on top of the bodies in a pit, for it is too heavy to carry, and if we are stopped it might be observed."
Hunsa's pig eyes shifted from Sewlal's face to roam over the other two, and then returned a question in them. "Tell him," Nana Sahib suggested, "that he has nothing to fear from us." The jamadar was troubled by the English exchange, but the Dewan explained: "The Prince says you are to speak what is on your mind."
Word Of The Day
Others Looking