The Coming Conquest of England [74]
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