Sir John requested the senior of the three officers to remain when the others retired. Colonel Bratherton was a power in the district, with an excellent reputation among the Sikhs and an unusually intimate knowledge of the men he commanded.

"Tell me your private opinion about this affair, Bratherton?" asked the chief commissioner.

Colonel Bratherton was silent and thoughtful for some time.

"Well, Sir John, the evidence is against young Russell, but somehow I'm convinced that he's straight and that the other is not."

"Um!"

A look of annoyance came over those masterful eyes, and the broad brow was knit in perplexity. But not for long. A humorous twinkle took the place of the frown, and the ruler of the Punjab presently whispered to the soldier, whose expression of deep concern gradually resolved itself into a smile in sympathy with his chief. They conferred for at least ten minutes before the colonel rose to take his leave.

"I'll arrange it all, Sir John," said he. "There will be little difficulty, for I have the very men we want. Kendal will do it admirably, and he can make up to the life. Where shall we be, though, if they both hold out?"

"Both?" Sir John's eyes sparkled as he added: "You forget there will be a third--Pir Baksh. But of the ensigns one is evidently quite unscrupulous, and will no doubt give himself away."

CHAPTER XXIV

Pir Baksh renders Tynan a Service

This conversation with the chief commissioner took place one morning in late September. In the afternoon of the same day, Ted Russell was ordered to attend upon Sir John Lawrence. The great man looked at the boy with a keen penetrating glance, which, though it seemed to pierce him through and through, yet brought with it an assurance of confidence and kindness.

Sir John seem pleased by the inspection.

"So you are the lad who blew up the arsenal?" he asked, a wonderfully pleasant smile lighting up the rugged face.

"It's still in dispute, sir," said Ted, smiling in spite of his trepidation.

"What do you suppose has caused Ensign Tynan to make this claim?"

"I wish I knew, sir. Whilst watching them in court yesterday the idea struck me that Pir Baksh, the mutineer, had somehow got a hold over him."

"Ah!"

"Yes, sir. He was watching Tynan as a cat watches a mouse, and it struck me that he had made some sort of a bargain with Tynan to save him from death at the hands of the rebels if Tynan would whitewash his character.

And it struck me that Tynan was sorry he'd ever been trapped into such a bargain."

Sir John's elbow was on the table and his head rested on the palm of his hand. Ted felt that he was reading his inmost thoughts.

"And perhaps," he remarked at length, "perhaps Pir Baksh considered that such whitewashing would be of little avail if it could be shown that Tynan had been guilty of cowardice, and so the lad has to pose as a hero? ... Um! It's just possible."

"I never thought of that, sir," said Ted with obvious admiration.

"I do not doubt your honour, Ensign Russell, and I mean to employ you upon an errand needing strength of character. Take this sealed letter to the officer in command at Amritsar. It is in cipher, and the key is found by reading every sixth word beginning at the end. The road, though safe enough for large bodies, is perilous for a small number; but Colonel Bratherton can only send two troopers with you. Go to him at once for horse and escort."

"Yes, sir."

"And understand, Ensign Russell, that should you be captured and have no time to destroy the letter, you must on no account disclose the key--on _no_ account!"

"I will not, sir."

Ted saluted and withdrew, greatly pleased by this signal mark of the confidence reposed in him. An hour after he had started, Ensign Tynan in his turn was standing before Sir John Lawrence.

"And so you believe that Russell meant to ruin your reputation out of spite? That is a very grave accusation, young man."

"I can't help it, sir. It's a fact, and my word is as good as his, and I have witnesses whilst he has none."

"Native evidence, I must remind you, Mr. Tynan, is not difficult to obtain. However, I cannot decide between you, and I have not sent for you to discuss that affair."

He proceeded to give Tynan a similar letter and precisely the same instructions and warning as those given to Ted. Tynan repaired to Colonel Bratherton, who supplied him with an escort consisting of Pir Baksh and two troopers, and with these he set out for Amritsar.

Night closed in with Indian abruptness before Tynan had covered half the distance. Suddenly a body of horsemen blocked the way. Tynan drew a pistol, but before he could take aim his arms were seized by the troopers of the escort, and he was roughly dragged to the ground. A search was made, and the letter was quickly brought to light.

Pir Baksh had been seized in like manner and was dropped beside Tynan, bound hand and foot. Tynan recognized the uniform of his assailants as that of the 60th Native Cavalry, and he remembered hearing that this rebel corps had been hovering about this stretch of the Grand Trunk Road for some days. The two troopers of his escort declared for the rebels at the first hint of danger. Somehow Harry Tynan was much more cool and collected than on the last occasion of a similar experience, and he was not nearly so frightened. Perhaps the explanation can be found in the fact that his present state of existence was so miserable that no change could be greatly for the worse.

The sowars took little notice of their prisoner. Two native officers, who seemed to have some knowledge of English, were eagerly scrutinizing Sir John's communication, the rest looking on. But the missive was evidently a poser, and the expressions of triumph changed to annoyance and chagrin as they shook their heads and gave up the puzzle.

"They will understand it," said one. "Make them explain."

The speaker nodded towards the prostrate captives, who were quickly kicked into a sitting posture and ordered to supply the key to the cipher. Pir Baksh was eagerness itself. He hastened to assure them that nothing would delight him more.

"This pig beside me," said he, "he knows the secret, and will quickly inform if you threaten him. As for me, I hate the Feringhis, having been their prisoner. Set free my hands, and I myself will question this cur and make him confess. Ugh! the very sight of him makes me ill. Coward, liar, and traitor is he!"

"If thou dost hate him so," asked a Mohammedan ressaidar, "why wert thou riding by his side as a friend? Thou canst not take us in so easily."

"Because my own safety obliged me to call him friend. This fellow blew up the Aurungpore magazine--he says he did so. Of course we must believe him, though I myself saw him trembling like a leaf begging for mercy. By me was he saved from the debris, saved that I might have the better revenge; and first I humbugged him into giving me a _chit_, saying I was loyal--I, Pir Baksh, leader of the rebels in Aurungpore!"

The subadar related the whole of the miserable business.

"It is true," said Tynan with quiet despair. "Save his life, for he is the blackest villain in Asia, and I had rather die alone than with him as comrade. Kill me and I shall be glad to get away from him."

A native officer cut the bonds, and bade Pir Baksh get up.

"Get the key from the cub, then. If he gives it willingly his life shall be spared. If not, do as thou wilt."

Pir Baksh smiled in pleasant anticipation, and humbly addressed his quondam officer.

"Will the protector of the poor deign to supply his slave with the explanation of that letter?"

Harry Tynan looked him straight between the eyes and said never a word.

The poor lad had suffered much during the past three months, and again and again his own vileness had been laid bare to him. He had enough of good in his nature to shudder at the prospect. The lies he had told, the public whitewashing for his own ends of the villain Pir Baksh, the bribing of Dwarika Rai and the other Rajputs, all these had gone against the grain, but never had he seen his own meanness so clearly, until now that he knew that even this most contemptible scoundrel regarded him with far greater contempt.

Pir Baksh had rendered Tynan a service at last, for he had made a man of him. Then and there the ensign resolved that nothing should drag from him the secret of the cypher--that Pir Baksh should understand he was not wholly a coward. The rascal poised his sword above the boy's head.

"First I am going to slice off the right ear, then the left. If that is not enough, Ensign Sahib, I fear that the nose must go. After that--"