stranger, who could give but little information, either as to the history, or cause of the flight, of his Mistress. It appeared that he held some subordinate situation in the Zenanah of Ummr Sing, and won by the kindness and presents of the young and lovely favourite of the chief, who had been brought into his residence only a few months before, it was said, from Hin - doostan, he was induced to assist in her escape to the Company's provinces. Further, that ascertaining the date of the expected arrival of the British treasure, they had planned to reach Hettourah on the same day as the guard. So closely, however, were they pursued, and so early was the discovery of their flight, that they had only gained the sanctuary by a few hundred paces, and were actually in sight of their pursuers at the moment of reaching the encampment. Before midnight the tents were struck, and having placed the female in a palankeen, which was fortunately with them, they moved on silently and guardedly towards the pass. It was strange, how deeply they very Sepoys seemed to enter into the interest of these occurrences; they were whispering together as they marched on, and appeared each to be as anxious for the safety of their young and mysterious charge, as if her appeal had been made individually to every private of the detachment. There was not among them one who would not freely have sacrificed his life for this object of their solicitude;-not from the same high spirit of romance that influenced their officer, but partly from the feeling that she was escaping from their late opponents the Goorkahs, which conferred, they thought, some little honour in the rescue; and more, that the event itself, sanctioned too by their officer, was just of the description to work upon the nature and Rajpoot pride of this easily-led class of soldiery. It has been the fashion of late to decry them, and disregard their quiet and unobtrusive services; but, from what source shall we replace so docile, so little expensive, yet so brave a body as the Rajpoots of our Upper Provinces! Orators, we know, love to call British India, the "Empire of opinion;" but, it is the EMPIRE OF SEPOYS: and woe to it's rulers, when they shall venture to neglect this main spring, this too critical secret of it's mechanism! Towards daylight they found themselves in the narrow and rugged way, which winds along in continued ascent, till it comes to the difficult and more precipitous approach to the key of the pass itself, situated at the extreme height of the Cheriaghattah ridge. The traces of the prepared road, over which the heavy ordnance of the British Army had been transported in the war, by the incredible exertions of elephants, the aid of cables and blocks affixed to trees, and other means, were now wholly obliterated by the late months of periodical rain: but the line of ascent and the direction were still the same, and made it evident that a few such positions in the hands of determined defenders, would effectually check the proudest and best equipped army that ever marched to invasion. Immense jetting rocks here and there seemed to obstruct all access; their crests were reached only by climbing with difficulty the broken path which wound around them; and which, when gained, formed steps, or resting places, for the weary toilers up the height. On finally reaching the vicinity of the extreme summit, Raymond distinctly heard the shout and shrill whistle of the Goorkahs, and distinguished, through the haziness of the opening day, several forms above him, whom the approach of his party was putting into confusion. He halted his advanced and leading files, and then moving on with care, and decision, soon reached the summit. He there heard the continued shouts, and perceived the descent and escape of a small body of men, who had been busy stockading near the crest of the ridge; and had they effected their purpose, and but a few hours more been granted to them, a whole brigade might have failed to force a point, which their defence then must completely have commanded. He paused not, but at once commenced his descent, and after a few hours reached the rocky and broken bed of an exhausted mountain torrent, which now led it's for miles, to the commencement of the Saul forest at Bechiakoh. open way At this latter place, it was Raymond's intention to have halted and refreshed his men; he betook himself to the side of the palankeen, the doors of which were kept carefully closed, and which was moving on, assisted by many, and well guarded on either side. To the respectful enquiry and expression of his hope, that it's gentle inmate was not much fatigued or distressed by their late perilous ascent of the pass, he received a kind and grateful answer. The hills at this point were more abruptly scarped in their heights, and at one part, cliffs completely overhung the bed of the mountain torrent. It was here, and at the moment that he retired from the side of the palankeen, that a shot whizzed past his leading files, followed by several others, with the |