A Scion of the Kumpani Bahadur*

Hastings Standard, Issue 241, 8 February 1897, Page 4

A Scion of the Kumpani Bahadur*

A TALE OF INDIAN SPORT

[Specially written Fur. the Hastings Standard.] By F. D'A. C. De Lisle. I All rii/htx rt'sriml /<;/ the author. / Chapter VII. The Bundle-Kind Confederacy. With the departure of Major Bruce for twelve months' leave of absence, matters at Rawal Pindi became more pleasant for Lieut. Carr-Jones. For the glorious way in which he had so triumphantly scored over his persecutor warned his fellow-officers that he was not a man to be so easily trifled with, and he was, metaphorically, labelled " Dangerous !" by all who knew the history of the Pindi Polo Cup race. Mrs Bruce had gone down to Calcutta to some relatives for the season, and the deadly dulness of barrack life commenced in grim earnest for both officers and men. A dullness the monotony of which was only broken by an occasional jaunt after pig or a game of polo. AVith virtually two of the fastest ponies in India to play polo on, " The Sandlly," as Jones had been dubbed by his brother officers, was a very strong order, and under his guidance and command the 28th B.L. polo team carried all before them. These were the piping times of peace, and the officer and men's lines were cast in pleasant places, so that Jones could always get leave for a few days, either to go shooting or to try his hand at pigsticking for a change. And since the departure of Mrs Major Bruce for Calcutta, a strange taste for solitude had taken possession of the dashing little sub," who very often disappeared for three or four days together, and 110 one ever knew where he had gone to. One dry after getting his <lal: (mail) from Calcutta, Jones became particularly melancholy, and applying for leave of absence for a week —rather a longer time than usual for him—he departed out of the cantonments one night with his two best polo ponies and his Oorya bearer in attendance. The bearer had been in thbhahoonhrr khana (kitchen) prior to setting out, and he had informed Mrs Col. Cleeve's vet-nurse that his hit sahiL (lord master) had received ail: to lahut hurra chittif (a very long letter) «\<r ail: tWihrir 3lajor /Inter xahih l:a hrhr l:a pax (and a photo from the wife of Major Bruce). The photo u-an of the Major's /»•/»■ (wife;, or rather of what had once been his, for she disclaimed all connection with him now. And the tears sprang to " The Sandfly's " eyes as he looked into the sad, beautiful face, and noted the wistful expression of the large, tender brown eyes. One part of her letter ran as follows : " Ernie is with his regiment at Amritsar, and I'm afraid is getting into bad company. He has been sending home for a lot of money lately." Ernie was the little woman s only brother, and " The Sandfly gnashed his teeth and swore one or two hideously disfigured Pushtu oaths at the " infernal idiot " for causing his sweet sister any pain. Well, he started for Amritsar to see how the " infernal idiot " was getting on. He has not been gone half a hour before Mrs Col. Cleeve's </> told Lady Bertrand's Eurasian governess that Lieutenant Jones had received the portrait of Mrs Major Bruce by the last <hil;. The Eurasian told Captain PolhillC'arew's body servant, and he in turn told the Adjutant's Madrassee kitnitifilmr (table servant), who whispered it in the dusky ear of the Punjabi ilfittlt (waiting .servant) of Mrs Major Concannon —as arrant an old gossip as ewr set a cantonment by the ears. And before 11 that night the whole district knew why Carr-Jones had cleared out on leave of absence-- " Because he could not endure the sight of her surroundings," "His In art was breaking, and he had to find distraction," and so forth. In 21 hours Jones railed into Amritsar and put up at the best hotel. On the. books he appeared as " Lieut. Carr-Jones, Manager, the Bundlecund Confederacy." lie had ! his rlmUi lm:ri (small breakfast) about o.W the next morning, and mounting hiArab pony Eclipse (which he had bought at the sale of Major Bruee's stud), be canteied down to the raei course. The fine-looking pony and the dapperdooking " sub." were the cynosure of many eyes on the course, and after the Arab bad carved out a mile in one fifty-seven without turning a hair, many anxious inquiries were made as to whether he was for sale or not. " The Sandfly " was soon serenely chatting away with one or two amateur trainers and a gentleman rider who appeared il" authority on all racing alfairs in Amritsar. " Yes, he's ii grand little fellow," J.nies ;iid. " The best of his Kind in the hills, I bould say. 1 bought him fur the Bundlecund Confederacy, who will race him for the Civil Service Cup next year, I think." The racing authority ap) wared ]ui/.'led for a miiment: then he a-k. d ■ "Bundi < ml ( unfederacy '! Hang it ! Ii ■ rhi ard oI the Bundlecund Con fed t.i fon • ' "I t- sppM i not -aid Jones, Calmly; "they h.tw unh j>i i been formed - down in Bt ngal. You iee, Jntliala and Nurbnnghur and Chota Bihar are all getting \ery ->trong now in fact, they an* good a* Leypor«\ So some of the wealthy men down in the plains have formed a con fed. with the Cachar planters, and they're going to play •Hell and Tutuiny* with the other syndicates. I'm buying for tin Hun ile CnuJ Confed,, and will gn«* you your

* Old EM India Co-u^y.

price for anything that can beat my best."

"Hard to find, I should think," laughed the authority. " But we'll see what we can do. My name is Halligan. I'm one of the 40th Punjaub Horse. Come and see us parade on the inaidaii, and I'll introduce you to ' Ours.' We are just getting ready for the ' Sky' Gymkhana meeting next month. Some of the ' tats' are good, but I'm afraid they're not a patch on the little gem you've got there. By the way," went on Captain Hallington, as he and " The Sandfly " trotted away towards the parade ground, " there is a man here w t uo owns a flyer, a really fast pony for six furlongs, but he can't get an inch further. If you think you can do oneeighteen with nine stone up, give him a go, but don't let him bluff you into a heavy wager. He lives on the game, and, I am sorry to say it, a good many of the 40th know him to their cost. He has had us all on toast, and some of our fellows have been heavily hit. This is in confidence of course. You're bound to come across Rogers. Don't be ' had' if you can help it. He's rather too smart for most young fellows." "The Sandfly" chuckled to himself, lie had a superabundance of faith in his own acuteness, and he felt quite pleased at the prospect of crossing weapons with the "smart" man. On the parade ground after parade he was introduced all round, and he made himself especially agreeable to Lieutenant Ernest Sedgecumbe, Mrs Major Bruce's only brother. Polo and polo racing formed the chief subject of conversation, and " The Sandfly" was eagerly welcomed by the 40th P.H., who invited him to their mess, and promised to provide him with all the sport they could find. His reputation was hardly known in Armritsar, so that the 40th P.H. may be forgiven for patronising the dashing litcle light-weight to a certain extent. As he expressed some anxiety to meet the ownerof the flying six-furlong polo pony, the 40th offered to invite Mr Rogers, ostensibly tea planter, but actually hawk, to dine at their mess in order to be presented to the manager of the Bundlecund Confederacy. " The Sandfly " murmured his thanks, and with Lieut. Sedgecumbe adjourned for Inc.ri to his hotel. It was not long before he was fast friends with Lieut. Sedgecumbe. " I know your sister, Sedgecumbe," he said, ajirojm.c of nothing at all. " Married to Bruce, Major in ' Ours.' Awful brute. Gone home on furlough. Probably will exchange. Tried to drum me out of the regiment. I beat him in the end. Know much of this Rogers, eh ?" " Wish I'd never seen him," candidly answered the young lieutenant. " He's rooked me over and over again, and the worst of it is, there's nothing ' crooked ' about him. He's just too smart, and awfully lucky at cards." "Oh, bobbery my!" said Jones. " So you go in for cards. What d'you play ? Loo ?—Baccarat'?—Yan John ?" " Sometimes. Usually poker when Rogers is there," answered Sedgecumbe. " Is he often there?" " Not now. He's won too much; and the colonel is in an awful wax with us. Rogers seldom appeal's at ' Ours ' now." " I suppose you meet nevertheless?" " Yes, at the private houses. He is a constant diner-out, and consequently we often come across one another." " Hum ! Has he won much from you?" " Yes a goodish bit. He's evidently fixed on me as a regular source of income." "Humph!" and "The Sandfly" mode a wry face. Ile'd like to have given Sedgecumbe some wholesome advice, but etiquette forbade it. He thought he could see a better way out of it than that. "Like to get it all back, Sedgecumbe ?" he asked. " Not much chance, 1 think," sadly answered Sedgecumbe. " Yes there is. Join the Bundlecund Confed. and you'll bo quits with him inside of a week." " Whv, what on earth do you mean? " asked Sedgecumbe.

" Just this. It -will cost you five hundred rupees to become a member of the Bundlecund Confed. ; the only other member being myself. I've got two ponies here that can all beat fifty-four for a mile, and one of them, a dun country-brpd, can do six furlongs inside of one-sixteen. Join the Confederacy, and you can match First Blood against Rogers' flyer for all he is worth. Let me ride, and if I lose I'll pay all wagers myself." " By jove ! you don't mean that!" gasped the astonished Sedgecumbe. "But I do, though," said Jones. " Hand me your cheque for the five hundred, and you become part owner of First Blood." " Done ! " shouted Sedgecumbe. "By George ! you're a brick. Though why you should take such an interest in an outsider like me I can't understand." " You will some day," dryly said Jones, " but for the time being let it suffice that it always affords me the greatest pleasure to ' take down ' one of the clever division. Get Rogers to play poker to-night, and I'll try his strength." And whatever you do, mind and make a match with his flyer for whatever sum he'll have." At the mess of the 40th P.H. that night Jones was the centre of observation. As the manager and buyer of the Bundlecund Confed. he attracted all the attention, and he completely captivated the hearts of the 40th by the quiet way in which he chaffed Mr Rogers. After mess, the officers adjourned to the smoking-room, and soon they commenced to play poker. Rogers took a decided lead ; and with great "bluff" and a lot of luck he was " in " to the tune of four hundred rupees at the end of an hour's play. Then a change came over the spirit of his dream. Lieut. Jones commenced to go one better than him at every opportunity. This annoyed Rogers, who put out several feelers, but was beaten each time by a better gambler than himself. At last he held a full hand of three queens and two aces. He commenced to raise at a hundred rupees a time. There were four players, but at the second raise two of them dropped out, and Jones went calmly on, going a raise of a hundred better every time Rogers spoke. At length they each had a thousand rupees staked. [To be continued.]