They were, answered by sniping from the mutineers,
who imagined that reprisals had commenced.
"Now, men!" said Colonel Carter, raising his voice until every officer
and man along the line could hear him, "as you must have realized,
things are very serious indeed. We are cut off from support, but
now that the guns are here to help us, we could either hold out here
until relieved or else fight our way into Jundhra, where I have no
doubt we are very badly needed. But"--he spoke more slowly and
distinctly now, with a distinct pause between each word--"there is
an officer's lady alone, and practically unprotected at Hanadra.
Our duty is clear. You are tired--I know it. You have had no supper,
and will get none. It means forced marching for the rest of this
night and a good part of tomorrow and more fighting, possibly on
an empty stomach; it means the dust and the heat and the discomfort
of the trunk road for all of us and danger of the worst kind instead
of safety--for we shall have farther to go to reach Jundhra. But
I would do the same, and you men all know it, for any soldier's wife
in my command, or any English woman in India.
Pages:
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210