smoking, laughing or chatting on the various events that were passing
around them.

"Listen to me, gentlemen," said a tall, handsome man, about thirty, and
the very _beau ideal_ of a cavalry officer, who had for some time been
leaning over the balustrade of the verandah, quietly puffing circles of
white smoke from his cheroot, and gazing thoughtfully on the moonlit
scene before him, and who had hitherto taken no part in the conversation
that was going on. "This deceitful calm," said he, drawing himself up to
his full height, and advancing to the centre of the group, "will not,
cannot last much longer, and it is high time that something should be
done for the protection of the families of the European Warrant Officers
and staff, Non-Commissioned Officers and others who are residing at
different parts of the station, and who would be the first to fall
victims to the licentious passion and murderous designs of the troops,
should an outbreak ensue before we are re-enforced by more Europeans."

"Right! Major Collingwood is right," exclaimed a Colonel of one of the
Sepoy battalions; "too much valuable time has already been lost. What
the deuce has come to the Brigadier? Huntingdon, of the Artillery,
proposed to him to give an order for the families of the Europeans of
his troop to move at once into the Fort, but he would not listen to him,
stating that there was no necessity for such a course, and that he would
answer for the loyalty and good behavior of the troops under his
command."

"This comes of trusting the lives and property of Europeans in the care
of General D---- and others of his stamp, who from a long association in
a civil capacity with the natives, have become so wrapped up in them,
and so hoodwinked, that they will see nothing, only through the