That night as Captain Redfern was carrying a message from one of the attacking columns to the reserve, he was struck by a rifle-ball, which entered his back and came out above his left arm. He died on the field within an hour of receiving the wound; and so his prophecy was verified.
Young John carried out his master's instructions faithfully. Shortly after receiving the intelligence of Redfern's death, he opened the packet, after having first satisfied the committee of officers that sat upon the dead man's effects, that it was duly addressed to him in Captain Redfern's handwriting. To his intense astonishment, he found that it was directed to Mrs. Pintle. He was not aware of the relationship that existed between Mr. Pintle and his late master, for although Captain Redfern was well known by repute to old Johnny long before Pintle's death, young John had never heard of his existence until he joined the 16th Lancers.
A memorandum addressed to young John accompanied the enclosure. It was to the following effect:—
"John Cole,—When I am dead, take the enclosed packet to Mrs. Pintle, 74, Russell Square, London, as soon as you reach England. If there is any chance of your being killed before you leave the Crimea, entrust it to a comrade upon whom you can rely. If you know no one else in whom you can place implicit confidence, give it to the Colonel.
"I hereby make you, Private John Cole, C troop of Her Majesty's 16th Lancers, the legatee of all my moveables in camp, with the exception of the gold watch
