their example. The affair has been suppressed, but there is an uneasy
feeling abroad, and all the troops in Bengal proper appear tainted with
paltry disaffection. We have no reason for believing that the spirit has
spread to the northwest, and are convinced that as far as our own regiment
is concerned they can be relied on; but the affair, taken in connection
with the previous rumors, is very strange, and I fear that there are lots
of trouble ahead. I wish now that I had not had the girls out for another
year; but I could not foresee this, and, indeed, until this morning,
although there has been a good deal of talk, we all hoped it would have
passed off without anything coming of it. One hopes still that it will
spread no further; but should it do so, it is impossible to say what may
happen. All we have to do is to be watchful, and to avoid with care
anything that can offend the men's prejudices. We must explain to the
native officers the folly of the greased cartridge story, and tell them to
reassure the men. You don't see anything else to do, Dunlop?"

"No, major; I trust that the regiment is to be depended upon; it has
always been well treated and the men have seemed attached to us all. We
will do our best to reassure them; but if there is any insubordination, I
hope that the colonel will give the men a lesson which will put an end to
the nonsense in the bud."

"Of course you will stay to tiffin?" the major said, as the _kitmagar_, or
head servant, announced that tiffin was ready.

"Many thanks, major, but we promised to tiff with Bullen, and he would be
mad if we did not turn up. How are you thinking of going to-morrow? I
intend to drive over, and send my horse on; so I can give one of your boys
a lift in my buggy."