"
"But there does not seem any possible place for them to go to.
One or two might travel down the country in disguise, but that is
out of the question for a large party. There is no refuge nearer
than Allahabad. With every man's hand against them, I see not the
slightest chance of a party making their way down."
"You or I might do it easily enough, Doctor, but for women it
seems to me out of the question; still, that is a matter for each
married man to decide for himself. The prospect is dark enough anyway,
but, as before, it seems to me that everything really depends upon
the Zemindars. If we hold the courthouse it is possible the Sepoys
may be beaten off in their first attack, and in their impatience
to join the mutineers, who are all apparently marching for Delhi,
they may go off without throwing away their lives by attacking us,
for they must see they will not be able to take the place without
cannon. But if the Zemindars join them with cannon, we may defend
ourselves till the last, but there can be but one end to it."
The Doctor nodded. "That is the situation exactly, Bathurst."
"I am glad we know the danger, and shall be able to face it openly,"
Wilson said. "For the last month Richards and I have been keeping
watch alternately, and it has been beastly funky work sitting with
one's pistols on the table before one, listening, and knowing any
moment there might be a yell, and these brown devils come pouring
in. Now, at least, we are likely to have a fight for it, and to
know that some of them will go down before we do.
Pages:
245
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269