It was a moonlight night, and the tent was one belonging to a white Madras regiment.

Suddenly, I saw another figure, that had been lying down outside the tent, rise.

I saw the flash of the moonlight on steel; then there was a blow, and the soldier fell.

I drew my sword and rushed forward.
"The native--for I could see that it was a native--was bending over the man he had stabbed.

His back was towards me, and on the sandy soil he did not hear my footsteps until I was close to him; then he sprang up with a cry of fury, and leaped on me like a tiger.