refreshment consisted chiefly in brandy punnee, sherry and biscuit, from
the flasks and wallets of the party, (no bad thing by the way, under the
circumstance.) Matters then having been got _en train_, the whole party
proceeded leisurely to the camp near Laurieghur, and arrived just as the
sun was casting her golden rays on the slopes of the adjacent hills,
previous to its sinking for the night into the purple depths of
obscurity. Early the following morning, the Collector, with a suitable
escort, proceeded on their way to Runjetpoora, the place to which they
were returning when they were so ruthlessly set upon by the atrocious
mutineers.

The day proceeding the one on which Arthur had joined his troop, the
officer in command of the little force ordered a court martial to
assemble for the trial of the prisoners concerned in the late murderous
attack on the Collector and party. The finding of the court was, that
the prisoners were guilty of all the charges brought against them, and
the sentence pronounced was that of death, by being blown to fragments
from the cannon's mouth, the sentence to be carried into effect the day
succeeding the promulgation of the order for the execution. Preparations
were then to be pushed forward vigorously for carrying by assault
Laurieghur, the fortress among the hills. Already a heavy breaching
battery had been sent for to Runjetpoora, for on a party of Engineers
advancing more closely and with the aid of their field glasses, it was
found to be a more formidable place, and more strongly guarded than had
been anticipated by those in command at Runjetpoora; thus the delay in
commencing the attack.

On the evening prior to the execution of the wretched criminals, as
Arthur Carlton was quietly smoking a cigar and meditating on Edith, the
approaching siege, and things in general, an orderly came to his tent