Page:The Slave Girl of Agra.djvu/198

 light of a fire betrayed a party of soldiers. Jelekha's grip tightened. Noren understood the hint, swerved half a mile round the straight course, and was soon beyond view of the Dharamsala. He never knew if the soldiers were sent by his pursuers or if a royal guard was escorting treasure to Agra and halting in the village till dawn.

Twenty miles were done and the noble steed was reined in under a tree. "Brave girl," said Noren, as he helped his companion down, "bravely hast thou borne thyself. We are safe from danger now. methinks."

"Be not quite sure of that yet, my friend, the intriguers of the palace have a long arm."

"But we are twenty miles from Agra, Jelekha, and this is the halting-place where a fresh horse awaits us."

"Their arm can reach two hundred miles, brave soldier, and thy halting-place may be as well known to them as to thee."

"Cast away thy needless alarms, girl, I hear my horse neighing, and I know his mettle well. He will take us to our encampment in less than two hours as the moon is rising."

"Look at thy steed," said Jelekha, when they came to the tree where it was tied. "He can scarcely stand—he totters."

A closer examination showed two deep sword-cuts in the hind legs of the noble beast. There was a pool of blood where it stood.

"What means this?" exclaimed Noren with horror.

"What means this? Why, a blind man can see that!" rejoined Jelekha. "Thy destination was known, thy horse has been followed and maimed,