The Star of India
Copyright© 2026 by Edward S. Ellis
Chapter 8: In the Garden.
Fortunately our friends had entered one of the loneliest portions of Delhi, where for a time they saw not a living soul, even when so many thousands were abroad; but this could not last, and some would be sure to meet them before going much further.
It was this dread that prevented them from keeping up their fastest gait, even while they were so anxious to increase the distance between themselves and their enemies.
The latter were gaining rapidly, for that peculiar “monotonous chant of frenzy,” (Allah-ullah) which, once heard, can never be forgotten, sounded closer every minute.
Although Marian Hildreth had lived a number of years in Delhi, she was now in a portion that was as unfamiliar to her as the slums of Cawnpore or Lucknow. Naturally, therefore, her escort took the lead.
“Follow me as fast as you can,” he whispered, increasing his speed.
The young surgeon had caught sight of a piece of broken wall of sun dried bricks on his right. One powerful leap carried him to a projection near the top, and catching the hand of Marian he drew her up beside him. The jagged pieces of wall served as well as a stair could have done, and a moment later both were on the top of a flat roofed, unoccupied building, partly in ruins.
The couple ran across the flat surface to the other side, where they found themselves facing an open space, which was the compound or garden of some wealthy native, whose house was in plain sight a hundred yards away.
It was not the place that Avery would have selected, but there was no time for choosing. Running to the edge of the roof, he dropped to the earth. The descent was about a dozen feet, and he was considerably shaken; but he did not mind that, and, steadying himself, he looked up at Marian, who was peering hesitatingly down upon him.
“Jump!” he whispered, “I’ll catch you!”
With the faith of the little child leaping into the arms of its parents, she gathered her skirts about her dainty feet and dropped as lightly as a bird. The powerful Avery caught her without trouble, and placing her on the ground clasped her hand.
“The only thing to do is to hide under those trees; it isn’t the best place in the world, but we have no choice.”
There was some consolation in the knowledge that a wall ten feet high separated them from their enemies, though there was no telling how long that obstacle would intervene. They had but a short distance to go when they stopped beneath the shadow of a number of trees in the corner of the compound.
The street along which they were passing when observed by the mob, ran north and south. Turning to the right, the fugitives sped a short distance in an easterly direction, that being the course of the wall up which they clambered. They took to the shelter of the trees near where they dropped to the ground, which was in the southeastern corner. From this point they had a fair view of the garden and home of the wealthy native, upon whose property they were trespassers.
The house stood in the middle of the compound, which was surrounded on all sides by a wall ten feet high, composed of sun dried bricks. The roof of this house was sloped and thatched and had a long veranda in front. The high inclosing wall had but one entrance, which was from the main street, that is, the one running north and south, from which the fugitives turned off before taking refuge in the garden. Their position, therefore, was close to the street, along which the mob were hurrying in pursuit, though, as has been shown, the high wall separated the parties.
The hope of the fugitives was that their enemies would continue up the street without suspecting their refuge. Would they do so? A few minutes must tell.
“I hardly expected to find such fine grounds in this part of the city,” whispered Avery, standing with the hand of Marian clasped in his own, and using his eyes and ears for all they were worth.
“They are not many in number. This must be the home of some nawab. Baird, listen! They are moving along the street just beyond this wall to the back of us. Hear them talking and cursing!”
“There is no doubt that they will search this garden, for the broken wall will suggest the means by which we eluded them.”
“They will not enter there, but by the regular entrance in front of the house. What do you think? Is there any hope?”
Passing his strong arm around her waist, he drew her closer to him, held her thus a moment, pressed his lips to hers and in a low, loving, but firm voice said:
“Marian, I do not believe that we shall be alive fifteen minutes longer.”
“Baird, will you do me a favor—the last that I can ask?”
“I will refuse you nothing in my power to grant.”
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