Draw Swords! Part 56

"Then I will not drink," he replied, smiling at her; but he saw that her brow was contracted and her eyes closed.

Then his attention was taken up by what was pa.s.sing at the bottom of the table, where the Wazir and the Brahmin both drew away from the proffered gla.s.ses.

"Very well, gentlemen," said the Rajah quietly, "I will not force you; but the day will come when you will both look upon this act as innocent and right.--You, gentlemen," he said, "will have no scruples. I drink to you, even if I lose caste."

With a quick movement he tossed off his gla.s.s, and then, bending quickly to his left, he struck Wyatt's gla.s.s from his lips, and, startled by the action, the doctors fell from his hand, both gla.s.ses s.h.i.+vering as they fell. The two ministers started up in their places, as did the queen, who made a quick clutch at d.i.c.k's arm and then stood trembling.

"Treachery! Poison!" cried the king hoa.r.s.ely, and his dark eyes flashed as he glared at the two men who had risen. "It was like fire--it means death. Ah!" he cried, turning upon the Ranee with a look of agony and grief, "this from you--from my mother!"

"No, no," shrieked the Ranee wildly, "it is not true, my son. By your dead father, I swear!"

"Ah!" he cried, with a sigh of relief, and he turned to glare at the two old ministers, who stood clutching the table without daring to move, and as if waiting for the end.

Wyatt and the doctor had in turn sprung from their seats, d.i.c.k following their example; and as the Ranee's hand dropped, the Rajah clutched at d.i.c.k's arm in turn, beckoning to Wyatt with the hand at liberty.

"It is an enemy's blow!" he gasped. "You, both of you, stop the coward stroke. Bring your soldiers here to save me, and seize the temple there. If I am to die, your people shall hold the place."

Wyatt sprang to the window, and at a word the sergeant rode close up.

"An orderly at once to Captain Hulton," he cried. "Every man to turn out and gallop here with the guns."

That was enough.

As he turned back, it was to see the doctor bending over the Rajah and the two ministers making for the door.

"Arrest those men," cried Wyatt to the two guards.

"They will not obey," thought d.i.c.k; but, to his surprise, they faced round, drawn sword in hand, and placed themselves before the two officials, whose dark countenances looked wild and strange.

Meanwhile the doctor had pa.s.sed round behind the Rajah's chair, taken up and raised d.i.c.k's untouched gla.s.s to his lips, tasted, and spat out the wine. Then, filling a gla.s.s with water, he half forced the Rajah to drink again and again, in spite of the agony he seemed to be in.

Wyatt, returning from the other end of the room where the prisoners were, gave the doctor a questioning look, which he answered aloud:

"One of their cursed vegetable poisons, I believe," he said; and Wyatt turned upon the Ranee.

"This must be your doing, madam," he said sternly.

"No, no," she cried wildly; "he is my son--my son!"

"Prove it, then, by your help," said Wyatt.

"Yes, yes; tell me what. Oh, my son, my son!"

She fell upon her knees by the Rajah's chair and caught his hand in hers, looking up at him wildly.

Then, standing up, she looked at the doctor inquiringly.

"He must be taken to his room," said the doctor; and the servants came at the Ranee's sign to bear their Rajah away.

"You will not want us, Doctor?" said Wyatt hastily.

"No; you have your work to do, I see."

The Rajah made a sign to d.i.c.k as he was being carried out, and the lad darted to him, to have his hand seized by one that was wet with agony and like ice.

"My guards are true," whispered the Rajah; "they will obey you. Protect the Ranee--"

He could say no more, the doctor interposing, and, followed closely by the Ranee, the sufferer was borne out.

CHAPTER THIRTY ONE.

PROMPT ACTION.

d.i.c.k's first act was to test the Rajah's words about the faithfulness of the guards, and he crossed to the two standing by the prisoners.

"Swords for myself and friends," he said sharply.

The man addressed called to one of the servants standing trembling and helpless by the door, gave him an order, and the man hurried out, to return in a few minutes with three jewelled weapons with their belts from the Rajah's armoury.

"Hah!" cried Wyatt, seizing one of them, while d.i.c.k buckled the other on, just as the heavy tramp of half the escort in their boots and spurs rang on the marble steps outside.

"I ordered half of them to come up," said Wyatt, and then, as loud shouts and cries arose, he signed to his companion to draw; but d.i.c.k rushed through the door, to find some twenty of the Rajahs guard ready to oppose the artillery-men, who were about to rush up, sabre in hand.

"Halt!" shouted d.i.c.k, and then turning to the guard, who faced fiercely round, he said in Hindustani:

"Your Rajah says you will be faithful to him. Join with our men in defending the palace against his enemies and ours."

The men looked in doubt, but Wyatt spoke out now.

"The Rajah has been poisoned," he said. "Six of you go to his door, and let no one but the doctor and servants pa.s.s. The rest of you guard the palace gates. Where is your officer?"

Their leader stepped out, tulwar in hand.

"Call out the rest of the men," he said. "You must help us to defend the palace against all who come. But these two must be kept safely;"

and he pointed to the two ministers within the room.

A minute or two before, the place was all pa.s.sing into a state of wild confusion, but the short, prompt words of the two officers sufficed; and when d.i.c.k, after a word or two with Wyatt, gave a fresh order, it was plain to the guard that they were working with friends, and in a very few minutes every gate was closed and held.

d.i.c.k's orders were that four of the Rajah's men should guard the Ranee.

This done, leaving Wyatt impatiently waiting for some sign of the coming troop, d.i.c.k made his way to the Rajah's room, into which he was allowed to pa.s.s at once.

"Well?" he asked.

"I can tell you nothing yet," replied the doctor. "The poor fellow is in fearful agony, but I was able to act so quickly that I have hope.

It's a terrible position, though; you see. I am in total ignorance of the poison used."