I have
got the scars on my shoulder and arm still."
"Oh, do tell me all about it," Miss Hastings said; and the request
being seconded by the rest of the party, none of whom, with the
exception of Mrs. Hastings, had ever heard the story before--for
the colonel was somewhat chary of relating this special experience
--he waited till they had all drawn up their chairs as close as
possible, and then giving two or three vigorous puffs at his cheroot,
began as follows:
"Thirty years ago, in 1855, things were not so settled in the Deccan
as they are now. There was no idea of insurrection on a large scale,
but we were going through one of those outbreaks of Dacoity which
have several times proved so troublesome. Bands of marauders kept
the country in confusion, pouring down on a village, now carrying
off three or four of the Bombay money lenders, who were then, as
now, the curse of the country; sometimes making an onslaught upon
a body of traders; and occasionally venturing to attack small
detachments of troops or isolated parties of police. They were not
very formidable, but they were very troublesome, and most difficult
to catch, for the peasantry regarded them as patriots, and aided
and shielded them in every way. The headquarters of these gangs
of Dacoits were the Ghauts.
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