The Young Russian Captain Of Dragoons

: The Coming Conquest Of England

The news of Edith's kidnapping--for, in Heideck's opinion, this was the

only explanation, because she would otherwise have left a message for

him--fell upon Heideck as a crushing blow.



He remembered the terrible cruelties narrated of the period of the Sepoy

mutiny. And he only needed to remember his own experiences in Lahore to

be convinced that all those horrible stories were no exaggeration, but,

rather well within the actual truth of the facts.



But if it was not a like fate that awaited Edith Irwin, yet perhaps

another ignominious lot would be hers, and this could not fail to

appear, to the man who loved her, more terrible even than death itself.



His alarm and deep despondency had not escaped the notice of the Prince.

He laid his hand sympathetically on Heideck's shoulder, and said--



"I am really quite miserable, comrade! for I now see what you and the

lady are to each other. But perhaps you make yourself uneasy without

cause; the departure of the lady is capable, perhaps, of a quite simple

explanation."



Heideck shook his head.



"I do not entertain any hope in this respect, for everything points to

the fact that the Maharajah of Chanidigot is the man who has got the

lady into his power. This sensual despot has for months past schemed how

to obtain possession of her. What, in Heaven's name, is to be done to

free the unhappy creature from his clutches?"



"I will inform the General, and doubt not that he will institute an

inquiry. If your supposition is correct, the Maharajah will, of course,

be compelled to set the lady free. But I doubt if this is the case. The

despot of Chanidigot is at present far away."



"That would not prevent others from acting on his orders. And do you

really believe that your General would, for the sake of an English

lady, offend an influential Indian prince, whose alliance would at this

present moment be very advantageous for Russia?"



"Oh, my dear friend, we are not the barbarians we are held to be in

Western Europe. We do not intend to be behind the rest of the world in

chivalrous actions, and we certainly should not begin our rule in India

by allowing execrable deeds of violence to take place before our very

eyes. I am convinced that the General does not in this matter think

differently from myself."



"You do not know what a great comfort it is to me to hear that; for I

shall myself be unable to do anything more for Mrs. Irwin. Since I know

that Germany is engaged in the war, I can have no further interest but

to join my army as quickly as possible."



"Of course! A soldier's duty first. But how shall you manage to get to

Germany? It will be a devilish hard job."



"I must try all the same. Under no circumstances could I remain quietly

here."



"Well, then, let us consider matters. The best plan would be for you to

return by sea from Bombay or some other port, like Calcutta, Madras,

or Karachi. Karachi is nearest. It has even been given the name of the

Entrance Gate to Central Asia. And from Lahore, Quetta, or Mooltan,

Karachi can be most readily reached by the railway. Steamship

communication between Karachi and Europe is only possible by way of

Bombay; there is thence no other direct line of steamers than that

plying up the Persian Gulf. You must accordingly go by one of the

English steamers of the P. and O. line, which start twice a week. The

French Messageries Maritimes, which usually sail between Karachi

and Marseilles, will, of course, have long since discontinued their

services. You could, therefore, just as well go by railway to Bombay.

Via Calcutta or Madras would be a roundabout journey."



"And I should be entirely dependent upon the English steamship lines?"



"I consider it quite out of the question that the ships of the North

German Lloyd or the Austrian Lloyd are still running."



"Then I shall have to give up the idea of this route altogether. For if

I am not to make use of a forged passport, which, moreover, will be very

hard to obtain, no English steamer will take me as a passenger."



"That is certainly very probable," the Prince rejoined, after some

thought. "And then--how are you to get to Bombay? The English are, of

course, destroying all the railways on their line of retreat."



"Well, so far as that is concerned, I could go on horseback."



"What! right through the English army? and at the risk of being arrested

for a spy? Are you not aware that the conquered are, as a rule, smarter

at shooting those whom they regard as spies than are the victors?"



Heideck could not suppress a smile.



"In this respect the promptness of the Russian procedure could

scarcely be excelled. But I allow, that your fears are quite justified.

Accordingly, only the road to the north remains open."



"Yes, you must go to the Khyber Pass on an empty train or with

a transport of English prisoners, and then on horseback through

Afghanistan to the frontier, and thence again by railway to

Kransnovodsk. Your journey would then be across the Caspian to Baku or

by railway by way of Tiflis to Poti on the Black Sea and thence by ship

to Constantinople. But, my dear comrade, that's a very long and arduous

journey."



"I shall have to attempt it all the same. Honour commands; and you

yourself say that there is no other route than that you have described."



"Right!--I will take care you are provided with a passport, and will

request the General to furnish you with an authority which will

enable you to have at any time an escort of Cossacks upon our lines of

communication through Afghanistan--But--"



A gleam of pleasure in his face showed that in his view he had hit upon

a very happy thought--"Might there not, perhaps, after all be found some

solution which would save you all this exertion? The Germans and the

Russians are allies. In the ranks of our army you would also be able to

serve your fatherland. And an officer who knows India as well as you,

would be invaluable to us at the present time. I will, if you like,

speak at once with the General; and I am certain that he will not

hesitate a moment to attach you to his staff with the rank that you hold

in the German army."



Heideck shook his friend's hand with emotion.



"You make it difficult for me to thank you as you deserve. Without your

intervention, my existence would have come to an inglorious close, and

the proposal you now make to me is a new proof of your amiable sympathy.

But you will not be vexed if I decline your offer--will you? It would

certainly be a great honour to serve in your splendid army, but you see

I cannot dispose of myself as I would, but must, as a soldier, return to

my post irrespective of the difficulties I may have to encounter. I beg

you--Lord! what's that? in this land of miracles even the dead come to

life again."



The astonishment that prompted this question was a very natural one, for

the lean, dark-skinned little man who had just appeared at the entrance

of the tent was no other than his faithful servant Morar Gopal whom he

had believed to be dead. Round his forehead he wore a fresh bandage. For

a moment he stood stock-still at the entrance to the tent, and his dark

eyes beamed with pleasure at having found his master again unharmed.



Hardly able to restrain his emotion, Morar Gopal advanced towards

Heideck, prostrated himself on the ground, Hindu fashion, in order to

touch the earth with his forehead, and then sprang to his feet with all

the appearance of the greatest joy.



But Heideck was scarcely less moved than the other, and pressed the

brown hand of his faithful servant warmly.



"These lunatics did not kill you after all then? But I saw you felled to

the ground by their blows."



Morar Gopal grinned cunningly.



"I threw myself down as soon as I saw that further resistance was

useless. And, because I was bleeding from a wound in the head, they

thought, I suppose, that they had finished me. Directly afterwards the

Cossacks came, and in front of their horses, which would otherwise have

trampled upon me, I quickly scrambled to my feet."



"You have great presence of mind! But where did you get this fine suit

of clothes?"



"I ran back to the hotel--through the back door, where the smoke was

not so stifling--because I thought that sahib would perhaps have taken

refuge there. I did not find sahib, but I found these clothes, and

thought it better to put them on than to leave them to burn."



"Quite right, my brave fellow! you will hardly be brought up for this

little theft."



"I looked for sahib everywhere, where English prisoners are; and when

I came to Anar Kali just at the moment that Mrs. Irwin was being driven

away in a carriage, I knew that I was at length on the track of my

master."



Heideck violently clutched his arm.



"You saw it? and you know, too, who it was that took her away?"



"Yes, sir, it was Siwalik, the Master of the Horse to Prince Tasatat;

and the lady is now with him on the road to Simla."



"Simla! How do you know that?"



"I was near enough to hear every word that the Indians spoke, and they

said that they were going to Simla."



"And Mrs. Irwin? She didn't resist? She didn't cry for help? She allowed

herself to be carried off quietly?"



"The lady was very proud. She did not say a word."



An orderly officer stepped into the tent and brought the Prince an order

to appear at once before the Commander-in-Chief.



"Do you know what about?" asked the Colonel.



"As far as I know, it concerns a report of Captain Obrutschev, who

commanded the file of men told off for the execution. He reported that

the Colonel had carried away a spy who was to be shot by order of the

court-martial."



Heideck was in consternation.



"Your act of grace is, after all, likely to land you in serious

difficulties," he said. "But, as I need now no longer conceal my quality

as German officer, I can, in case the field telegraph is working, be

able to establish my identity by inquiry at the General Staff of the

German Army."



"Certainly! and I entreat you not to be uneasy on my account; I shall

soon justify the action I have taken."



He disappeared in company of the orderly officer; and Heideck the

while plied the brave Morar Gopal afresh with questions as to the

circumstances connected with Edith's kidnapping.



But the Hindu could not tell him anything more, as he had not dared

approach Edith. He was only concerned with the endeavour to find his

master. He had learnt that Heideck had been carried off by Cossacks and

indefatigably pursued his investigations until at last, with the inborn

acumen peculiar to his race, he had found out everything. That he, from

this time forth, would share the lot of his adored sahib appeared to him

a matter of course. And Heideck had not the heart, in this hour of their

meeting again, to destroy his illusion.



After the lapse of half an hour Prince Tchajawadse returned. His joyous

countenance showed that he was the bearer of good news.



"All is settled. My word was bond enough for the General, and he

considered an inquiry in Berlin quite superfluous."



"In truth, you Russians do everything on a grand scale," exclaimed

Heideck. "A great Empire, a great army, a wide, far-seeing policy, and a

great comprehension for all things."



"I also talked to the General touching my suggestion to include you in

the ranks of our army, and he is completely of one mind with me in the

matter. He also considers the difficulties of a journey to Germany under

the present conditions to be almost unsurmountable. He makes you the

offer to enter his staff with the rank of captain. Under the most

favourable conditions you would only be able to reach Berlin after the

war is over."



"I do not believe that this war will be so soon at an end. Only reflect,

half the globe is in flames."



"All the same, you ought not to reject his offer. We could, to ease your

mind, make inquiries on your behalf in Berlin. The field telegraph

is open as far as Peshawar, and there is consequently connexion with

Moscow, St. Petersburg, and Berlin."



"I accept without further consideration. I should be happy, if

permission were granted, to fight in your ranks."



"There is no doubt of that whatever. I will at once procure you our

white summer uniform and that of a captain of dragoons; and this sword,

comrade, I hope you will accept from me as a small gift of friendship."



"I thank you from my heart, Colonel."



"I salute you as one of ours. I might even be in a position to give you

at once an order to carry out."



"But not without permission from Berlin, Prince?"



"Well, then, we will wait for it; but it would be a great pity if,

contrary to our expectation, it were to be delayed. The commission that

I was on the point of procuring for you would certainly have greatly

interested you."



"And may I ask--"



"The General has the intention to send a detachment to Simla."



"To Simla, the summer residence of the Viceroy?"



"Yes."



"But this mountain town is at the present moment not within the sphere

of hostilities; the Viceroy remains in Calcutta."



"Quite right; but that does not preclude the news of the occupation

of Simla having a great effect on the world at large. Moreover, in

the Government offices there there might possibly be found interesting

documents which it would be worth while to intercept."



"And you consider it possible that His Excellency would despatch me

thither?"



"As the detachment to which my dragoons, as well as some infantry and

two machine guns, would belong is under my command, I have begged the

General to attach you to the expedition."



Heideck understood the high-minded intentions of the Prince, and shook

his hands almost impetuously.



"Heaven grant that permission from Berlin comes in time! I desire

nothing in the world so earnestly as to accompany you to Simla."