STORY ONE, CHAPTER TWENTY ONE.
It was a couple of hours after when I came to, and became sufficientlysensible to know that I was lying with my head in Lizzy's lap, and HarryLant close beside me. It was very dim, and the heat seemed stifling, sothat I asked Lizzy where we were, and she told me in the cellar of thehouse--a large wide vault, where the women, children, and wounded hadbeen placed for safety, while the noise and firing above told of whatwas taking place.
I was going to ask about Miss Ross, but just then I caught sight of hertrying to support her sister, and to keep the children quiet.
As I got more used to the gloom, I made out that there was a small irongrating on one side, through which came what little light and air wegot; on the other, a flight of stone steps leading up to where thestruggle was going on. There was a strong wooden door at the top ofthis, and twice that door was opened for a wounded man to be broughtdown; when, coolly as if she were in barracks, there was that noblewoman, Mrs Bantem, tying up and binding sword-cuts and bayonet-thrustsas she talked cheerily to the men.
The struggle was very fierce still, the men who brought down the woundedhurrying away, for there was no sign of flinching; but soon they wereback with another poor fellow, who was now whimpering, now mutteringfiercely. "If I'd only have had--confound them!--if I'd only hadanother cartridge or two, I wouldn't have cared," he said as they laidhim down close by me; "but I always was the unluckiest beggar on theface of the earth. They've most done for me, Ike, and no wonder, forit's all fifty to one up there, and I don't believe a man of ours has ashot left."
Again the door closed on the two men who had brought down poor Measles,hacked almost to pieces; and again it was opened, to bring down anotherwounded man, and this one was Lieutenant Leigh. They laid him down, andwere off back up the steps, when there was a yelling, like as if someevil spirits had broken loose, and as the door was opened, Captain Dyerand half-a-dozen more were beaten back, and I thought they would havebeen followed down--but no; they stood fast in that doorway, CaptainDyer and the six with him, while the two fellows who had been downleaped up the stairs to support them, so that, in that narrow opening,there were eight sharp British bayonets, and the captain's sword, makingsuch a steel hedge as the mutineers could not pass.
They could not contrive either to fire at our party, on account of thewall in front, and every attempt at an entrance was thwarted; but we allknew that it was only a question of time, for it was impossible for manto do more.
There seemed now to be a lull, and only a buzzing of voices above us,mingled with a groan and a dying cry now and then, when I quite forgotmy pain once more on hearing poor Harry Lant, who had for some time beenquite off his head, and raving, commence talking in a quiet sort of way.
"Where's Ike Smith?" he said. "It's all dark here; and I want to saygood-bye to him."
I was kneeling by his side the next minute, holding his hand.
"God bless you, Ike," he said; "and God bless her. I'm going, old mate;kiss her for me, and tell her that if she hadn't been made for you, Icould have loved her very dearly."
What could I do or say, when the next minute Lizzy was kneeling on hisother side, holding his hand?
"God bless you both," he whispered. "You'll get out of the troubleafter all; and don't forget me."
We promised him we would not, as well as we could, for we were bothchoked with sorrow; and then he said, talking quickly: "Give poor oldSam Measles my tobacco-box, Ike, the brass one, and shake hands with himfor me; and now I want Mother Bantem."
She was by his side directly, to lift him gently in her arms, callinghim her poor gallant boy, her brave lad, and no end of fond expressions.
"I never had a bairn, Harry," she sobbed; "but if I could have had one,I'd have liked him to be like you, my own gallant, light-hearted soldierboy; and you were always to me as a son."
"Was?" says Harry softly. "I'm glad of it, for I never knew what it wasto have a mother."
He seemed to fall off to sleep after that, when, no one noticing them,those two children came up, and the first I heard of it was little Clivecrying: "Ally Lant--Ally Lant, open eyes, and come and play wis elfant."
I started, and looked up to see one of those little innocents--his facesmeared, and his little hands all dabbled with blood, trying to openpoor Harry Lant's eyes with his tiny fingers.
"Why don't Ally Lant come and play with us?" says the other; and justthen he opened his eyes, and looked at them with a smile, when in amoment I saw what was happening, for that poor fellow's last act was toget those two children's hands in his, as if he felt that he should liketo let his last grasp in this world be upon something innocent; and thenthere was a deepening of that smile into a stern look, his lips moved,and all was over; while I was too far off to hear his last words.
But there was one there who did hear them, and she told me afterwards,sobbing as though her heart would break.
"Poor Harry, poor light-hearted Harry," Mother Bantem said. "And didyou see the happy smile upon his face as he passed away, clasping thosetwo poor children's hands--so peaceful, so quiet, after all hissuffering; forgetting all then, but what seemed like two angels' facesby his dying pillow, for he said, Ike, he said--"
Poor Mother Bantem broke down here, and I thought about what Harry'sdying pillow had been--her faithful, old, motherly breast. But sheforced back her sobs, and wiped the tears from her rough, plain face, asshe said in low, reverent tones: "Poor Harry! His last words: `Of suchis the kingdom of Heaven.'"
Death was very busy amongst our poor company, and one--two--three morepassed away there, for they were riddled with wounds; and then I sawthat, in spite of all that could be done, Lieutenant Leigh would be thenext. He had received his death-wound, and he knew it too; and now helay very still, holding tightly by Miss Ross's hand, while she kneltbeside him.
Captain Dyer, with his eight men, all left, were still keeping the door;but of late they had not been interfered with, and the poor fellows wereable to do one another a good turn in binding up wounds. But what allwere now suffering for want of, was water; and beyond a few drops in oneor two of the bottles carried by the women, there was none to be had.
As for me, I could only lie there helpless, and in a half-dreamy way,see and listen to all that was going on. The spirit in me was good tohelp; but think of my state--going for days with that cut on the face,and a broken arm, and in that climate.
I was puzzling myself about this time as to what was going to happennext, for I could not understand why the rebels were so quiet; but thenext minute I was watching Lieutenant Leigh, and thinking about themorning when we saw Captain Dyer bound to the muzzle of thenine-pounder.
Could he have been thinking about the same thing? I say yes, for all atonce he started right up, looking wild and excited. He had hold of MissRoss's hand; but he threw it from him, as he called out: "Now, my lads,a bold race, and a short one. We must bring them in. Spike the guns--cut the cords. Now, then--Elsie or death. Are you ready there?Forward!"
That last word rang through the vault we were in, and Captain Dyer randown the steps, his hacked sword hanging from his wrist by the knot.But he was too late to take his messmate's hand in his, and say_farewell_, if that had been his intention, for Lieutenant Leigh hadfallen back; and that senseless figure by his side was to all appearanceas dead, when, with a quivering lip, Captain Dyer gently lifted her, andbore her to where, half stupefied, Mrs Colonel Maine was sitting.