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Presently there came the sound of running feet, and heavy boots clattered up the rocky road towards the Mess past the gate. Then the butler's voice rang out in challenge: "Kohn jatha? A panting voice answered: "Wargrave Sahib murgya. "O God! O God!" cried the girl, and tried to break from her friend's clasp. "Let me go! Let me go!"
Major Hunt was ill with fever, leaving Wargrave, who was still nominally attached to the Military Police, in command of the detachment.
Indeed, the most serious matter was the great loss of blood, which had weakened the subaltern considerably. Wargrave did not recover consciousness until early morning. When he opened his eyes they fell on Muriel sitting by his bed. He showed no surprise and the girl, scarce daring to believe that he was awake and knew her, did not venture to move.
His comrade Burke was evidently acutely conscious of Muriel Benson's attractions, and, his pleasantly ugly face aglow with a happy smile, he was flirting as openly and outrageously with her as she with him. "Sure, it's a cure for sore eyes ye are, Miss Flower Face," he said. "That's the name I christened her with the first moment I saw her, Wargrave. Doesn't it fit her?"
At last the time came when she had to return to her father down in the vast forest; and bravely as she said goodbye to everyone and most of all to Frank the tears blinded her as she sat on the back of the elephant that bore her away and saw the hills close in and shut from her gaze the little station that held her heart. Wargrave, however, was not left to pine in loneliness after her departure.
Wargrave and Muriel opened on the pursuers with their automatic weapons and checked them. Tashi was about a hundred yards from shelter when a shot struck him. He stumbled and fell, while a howl of delight rose from his foes. As he tried to struggle up bullets kicked up the dust round him and several arrows dropped near.
The adjutant took off his helmet and flung it on the table. "Well, tell me. What the devil have I done?" said his friend impatiently. Raymond tried to speak but failed. "Go on, man. What is it?" cried Wargrave, seizing his arm. The adjutant burst out: "It's a damned shame, old man. I'm sorry." "But what is it? What is it, I say?" cried Wargrave, shaking him.
"But, sir, surely I have a right ," began Wargrave, clenching his hands until the nails were almost driven into his palms in an effort to keep his temper. "I cannot argue the question with you, Wargrave," said the Colonel loftily. "You have got your orders. Headquarters approve of my action. I have discussed the matter with my Second in Command, and he agrees with me. You can go.
Hepburn added that if he was given command of the regiment in two years' time as should happen in the ordinary course of events he would be glad to have Wargrave back again in the battalion then.
His one room in the Mess began to be overcrowded with trophies of his skill with the rifle. Other tiger-skins had joined the first; and, although he had not secured a second bison, several good heads of sambhur, khakur and cheetul, or spotted deer, hung on his whitewashed stone walls. Thus with sport and work more fascinating than sport Wargrave found the months slipping by.
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