The place was Chanidigot, in British East India. The blinding brightness
of the hot day had been immediately followed, almost without the
transition to twilight, by the darkness of evening, which brought with
it a refreshing coolness, allowing all living things to breathe again
freely. In the wide plain, which served as the encampment ground for the
English regiment of lancers, all was alive again with the setting of
the sun. The soldiers, freed from the toil of duty, enjoyed themselves,
according to their ideas and dispositions, either in playing cards,
singing, or merrily drinking. The large tent, used as a messroom by the
officers, also showed signs of life. Dinner was over, and a number of
gentlemen sat down to a game of cards, as was their daily custom. But
here the amusement was of a less harmless character than in the case of
the private soldiers. For not innocent bridge, but "poker" was the order
of the day, a game much affected in America and also in some parts of
England, a game which is solely determined by chance together with a
certain histrionic bluffing on the part of the players, and the stakes
were rather high. It was mostly played by the younger gentlemen, who
could not do without their nerve-tonic in the evenings, in the monotony
of camp life. The older men sat apart at tables, talking and drinking
whisky-and-soda, and smoking their short pipes. Amongst them there was
also a gentleman in civilian dress. The hospitality with which he was
treated showed that he was not one of the officers of the regiment,
but their guest. The sound of his name--he was addressed as Mr.
Heideck--would have betrayed his German origin, even had his appearance
not proclaimed it. He was of but medium height, but athletic in build.
His erect, soldiery bearing and the elasticity of his movements plainly
betokened his excellent health and considerable bodily strength. A
foreigner can hardly present better credentials to an Englishman
than these qualities. Perhaps, more than anything else, it was his
distinguished appearance, in conjunction with his amiable and thoroughly