thank, with ardent words of gratitude, her gallant lover, when he
silenced her with a motion of his hand, and whispered to her to follow
him. They proceeded slowly for a time, carefully avoiding the
overhanging branches, lest they should attract the attention of either
of the troopers, who were still halted on the high road at no great
distance, and as Carlton afterwards affirmed, a chance shot from one of
their carbines might have proved fatal to one or perhaps both of them.
After riding some distance they had the satisfaction, on looking back,
of seeing that their cowardly pursuers were returning the way they came,
carrying their dead and wounded with them. But still they had a very
long ride before them, under a scorching sun, before they could consider
themselves safe from further pursuit; and the deep shadows of the dark
jungle had closed around them as they pushed their way along the dusty
road. And it was not until the moon had risen in all her splendour, high
above their heads, that Edith, worn out with the excitement and fatigue
of the day's journey, attended by a gallant cavalier, reached Rutlaum.

Fortunately, they experienced no difficulty in tracing the whereabouts
of the Bartons, who had not, as yet, left the place. The news of the
disaster at Goolampore had not reached Rutlaum, the mutineers having
cut the telegraph lines, and the intelligence would not, in all
probability, be received for a couple of days; and it was agreed that it
should be suppressed as long as possible. It was arranged that the
family should leave on the following evening by the Palkee Dawk for the
coast. Carlton, of course, called on the officer commanding the post,
and explained to him all he knew concerning the outbreak, and exactly
how things stood when he left the station.

The Bartons were delighted to have Edith with them again, for nothing
had gone right during her absence. Mrs. Barton had not been accustomed