It was now quite impossible for white women and children to trust themselves in the streets in the midst of the excited populace; but Heideck believed that they were, for the present, quite safe in the house, thinking that the fanaticism of the natives would not culminate in an attack upon the hotel so long as any considerable body of English soldiers remained in the town.But only too soon he was compelled to admit that he had under-estimated the seriousness of the situation.A ruddy, flickering flame, which suddenly lit up the room which had been filled by the dying evening glow, caused him to rush to the window, when, to his horror, he perceived that one of the houses on the opposite side of the street was on fire, and that in the adjacent building the tongues of flame had caught the wooden pillars of the verandah.There was no doubt but that the hotel would, within a few minutes, be involved in the conflagration.
Under these circumstances it was impossible to think of remaining longer in the hotel.Its massive walls could, perhaps, withstand the fire for a time, but the biting volumes of smoke, which had already taken Heideck's breath away when he had opened the window for a moment, would soon render it impossible for human beings to stay longer in the heat.All at once came a heavy knocking at the door, and Morar Gopal, who had been looking for Heideck everywhere in the hotel, entreated his master to make his escape as quickly as possible.
The German officer was fully convinced that he had now to exchange one danger for a peril perhaps even greater.But there was no time for delay or consideration.
"We are in the midst of a fire, Mrs.Baird," he said."No one in the general confusion will attempt to stay the raging element, and if you do not wish to be stifled with your children, you must follow me.I hope to be able to bring you, without harm, into the citadel or into some other place of safety."Edith Irwin had already taken one of the little girls into her arms; and when the Colonel's wife was looking about her with a wild expression, as if she wished to try and save some of her precious valuables, Edith emphatically insisted upon her hurrying."There is nothing more precious than the life of your children.Let everything go, in God's name!"The poor woman, whose senses now began to fail her in the terrors of the moment, quietly obeyed the calm instructions of her young friend.The other residents in the hotel had almost all already fled; only a few unhappy women, who had completely lost their heads, wandered about the lower rooms holding all manner of valueless objects, from which they would not part, in their hands.
Heideck called to them to follow him.But they hardly understood him, and he had no more time to trouble about the unfortunate creatures.
With a bare sabre in his hand the faithful Hindu endeavoured to make for his master and those under his protection a path through the crowd which was surging around the burning houses.It was now quite dark, and only the red flames weirdly lit up the hideous nocturnal scene.The raging fanaticism of the crowd appeared during the last half-hour to have increased in vehemence.These men, at other times so modest, submissive, and amiable, had suddenly become metamorphosed into a horde of barbarians.Bare sabres and daggers flashed their menaces on every side, and the air was rent by a deafening din.Never before had Heideck seen human beings in such a state of frenzy.With wild gesticulations these dark-skinned fellows were tossing their arms and legs; they gnashed their teeth like wild beasts, and inflicted wounds on their own breasts and limbs in order to intensify their lust of blood by the sight of it.
The two men, by dint of peremptory commands and vigorous blows with the naked sword, forced their way step by step through the crowd.
But after a lapse of ten minutes they had scarcely progressed more than a hundred yards.The surging mob around them became even denser and more threatening in its attitude, and Heideck saw it would be impossible to reach the citadel.
With anxious care for the precious human lives entrusted to his protection, he looked about for another place of safety.But the Europeans had firmly barricaded their houses, and none of them would have opened to admit the poor fugitives.On a sudden the wild cries that had almost terrified the crying children to death rose to appalling shrieks and ravings, and a mob of demons, incited by their fanatic passions almost to frenzy, rushed from a side street straight upon Heideck.They had somewhere on their way been joined by a large number of other female fugitives; and the sight of these unhappy creatures made the German officer's blood run cold in his veins.
