A Scion of the Kumpani Bahadur

Hastings Standard, Issue 248, 16 February 1897, Page 4

A Scion of the Kumpani Bahadur

A TALE OF INDIAN SPORT

[Specially written for the Hastings Standard.j

By F. D'A. C. De Lisle. (All ritjhtx referred by the author./

Chapter IX

In the second five minutes spell Jones with some pity for the " griffins" who had been so mercilessly roasted, asked if they would stop playing. But the " grifs " were mad with rage, and they announced their intention of playing out time, if only for the sake of scoring one goal and beating Jones on that one wager. " It's only the dam'd circus game that's beating us," said Lieut. Leslie. "No one ever played against riderless ponies before. " I defy any man to to score against those, brutes." Then came the five minutes' interval.

" Bai Jove ! don't you know, old fellah !" said Lieut. Leslie to " The Sandfly," " we didn't come here to play a circus, don't you know. Those blasted ponies of yours are absolutely dangerous, don't you know—the way they come charging into a fellow, don't you know." " What the deuce d'ye mean by a circus?" asked Jones, hotly. " Those are my ordinary ponies—they have never been in any show Wnv to-day." *" Ah, well, I don't think it's fair don't you know ! They have no weight to carry, and so they can easily race our ponies, don't you know." " I see," said Jones. " I knew you were bound to make some excuse. Yon always do that, I have heard. But I'll keep you to your agreement, as I wish to teach you a lesson. Besides, the wagers demand a finish to this farce."

In the second spell " The Sandfly " went in for fancy business, and put in angle shots, back strokes, and cuts, and drives from the near side Avith his back to the goal aimed at, until the goal hitting became monotonous. Forty four goals in two spells ! Fourty-four goal in forty minutes ! It was marvellous.

" Look here," said " The Sandfly," " its a big handicap, but I want to clearly demonstrate to you fellows what duffers you are. I'll play you this last spell without the ponies, and if you can score I'll make that two to one, even money twice. Now if that's not giving you a chance I don't know what is." He walked away to a Ressaldar of the 28th B.L.

" Lai Singh, pass the word to clear the ground. I don't wish these gentlemen to be laughed at any more." The non-com. saluted and inarched off. In live minutes not a native trooper remained on the polo ground. In the last spell (there was only ten minutes to play on account of time taken off in the other spells), Jones showed his marvellous skill against such great odds. Had the Hussars played even an indifferent game they could have scored. But they were such duffers, and " The Sandfly " was really such a demon at the game, that in spite of all their efforts, they failed to score and .Tones put on six more goals, before the whistle blew for the call of " time."

The Hussars left the polo ground without exchanging a word with Jones. They settled their bets by letter and returned to Umballa without paying any of those marks of courtesy to their hosts, the 28th 8.L., whose quarters they had occupied, that are customary. And in Umballa what a roasting they got! As they entered the club-room at the Fort a telegram, pinned up on the notice-board, met their eyes — " Lieut. Honiton,

M7th Dogras, Fort Umballa

Carr - Jones, single-handed, beat 22nd Q. 0.11. polo team by fifty gaols to nil.

Fraser, Capt., 28th 8.L., Kawul Pindi."

The '22 nd made a big fuss and talked very loudly about playing some"" circus fellah, don't you know, and his dam'd trick ponies ! " But they wore unmercifully chaffed and badgered, until they were brought to see what asses they were ; and they recognised at last what a demon they had met when they were beguiled into playing "The Handily" and his 'I mi Trick L'nuiis. Chapter X. —Clouds. From Llawal Pindi to Calcutta is a far stretch, and it took Lieut. Carr.Joues the best part of a week to rail down to that queen of Indian cities. Wry glad too was he lo get the chance, for not only did he relish the change, hut to him the greatest attraction of his life was in Calcutta. How rapidly the quiet, steady life at l'indi was changed. One night the wires Hashed and the next day the busy hum of excitement rose to fever heat. For hows had come of a tribal rising on the frontier and the 2Kth wore ordered to be prepared to march within a fortnight. Major Concannon, Captain Somerset and Lieut. Carr-Jones wore dispatched post haste to Calcutta to soeure remounts, while Lord Bertrand and Captain Fra.ser rushed down to Lahore for supplies. Everybody and everything was in a ferment. With the remounts commission went an escort of native troopers to bring up the necessary remounts. In Calcutta, to Carr-Jones' horror, he found that Major Bruce had already returned from England, and was waiting to be gazetted to his now regiluoiit. Also, it was openly rumored that ho was Peking (-very opjxji'tunitv of obtaining a dnorce from ins wife. This the terrified little woman coniid.d to Joms tin- iir.st evening of his arrival in Calcutta, when he called upon her a! !.• r -i-u r% bouse in King street, Chowrmgeo. And Jones, vou mg to himself that he would not eompr..ii:iM- the light of his eyes, went and did the \ r.hiny

I>l<l Jiwt ladia Cuwpaujr.

of ftll others that he should not have done.

Major Bruce, watching his wife with the of a Scotland Yard detective, had employed the services of a Mussulman bearer and two Babus to get any evidence which might tend to incriminate Mrs Bruce. In the thick of his duties, " The Sandfly" managed to ride down to the Eden gardens every evening to meet Mrs Bruce in her sister's barouche by the band-stand, where they invariably pulled up to hear the band play. And 011 the second evening, leaving his horse with his who was in attendance, he persuaded Mrs Bruce and her sister to stroll into the gardens. What devil worked against them it is impossible to say, but within five minutes after their entrance to the gardens Mrs Bruce's sister was joined by Mr Cyrus W. Batts, of the New York National Guards, U.S.A., whom she had met only six months before at the G.G's. Grand Levee. Miss Annie Powerscourt had come out to join her sister, Mrs Bruce at Pindi, but upon advice from Mrs Bruce had remained with a distant relation in Calcutta, while Mrs Bruce went to the hills. Needless to say that as Miss Powerscourt was one of England's fairest daughters, Mr -Cyrus W. Batts fell hoplessly head over ears in love with her ; and instead of carrying out his intention of a prolonged tour throughout Asia, he had remained in Calcutta and its immediate neighborhood dancing attendance upon his lady love. After the usual introduction to Lieut. Jones in the gardens they strolled up and down the lawn in front of the bandstand, under the brilliant electric light, amongst a big crowd of the fashionables of the Civil and Military Service in Bengal. But imperceptibly Cyrus W. Batts edged his fair partner in the promenade towards the dark walks of the gardens until at length Carr-Jones found himself wandering with Mrs Bruce in its very darkest and remotest corners, following the lead of Cyrus W. Batts and Miss Powerscourt, who were some twenty yards ahead of them. And finally they lost the leaders and wandered about by themselves. An hour or so after they found themselves back on the lawn looking for Miss Powerscourt and her escort. The band was playing the " National Anthem," and the usual mad rush of vehicles down the Midan to Chowringee had commenced. At length they found the errant pair seated in the barouche awaiting them. The Powerscourt carriage was the last to leave the bandstand followed by the hired buggy of Cyrus W. Batts. Lieut. Carr-Jones had but a short way to go to the fort where he was quartered. The following evening clouds appeared upon the horizon. (To be Continued.)

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