408

‘The Arab came to where we were standing, and after watching the strange spectacle for a moment, he replied :—

“T can scarcely tell, sahib, unless he belongs to a different tribe to those pursuing him ; if he is fleeing for shelter to the tent, the IEnglishmen will have good need of stout hearts during the next few minutes. Cowardly and treacherous as are those who lollow him, in the frenzy of themr fanaticism they will face the utmost perils un- flinchingly once they arc thoroughly aroused.”

Denviers turned to the Arab, and said in the (quict tonc which he n- variably adopted when dangerconfronted him:—

“ Bring out our rifles, Hassan.,” The Arab obeyed, and, as we took the weapons from him, he ventured to utter a few words of caution, which sounded strangely upon our ears i-—

“Save the man, sahibs, if you can; but 1if pos- sible avoid injuring onc of the tribe of the Saduzai, for such indeed they are. The cyes of Hassan are keen, and see the flashing glances of dislike which are daily turned upon the Iinglishmen as they traverse this country. There is a tradition, indecd, that between Afghan and Feringhee one day war to the death will be proclaimed, when the former ally themselves with the white bear ol the frozen north, which sccks to hug to its shagay breast the border town which s the key to the golden plain of the sacred Ganges. To slay the Englishmen would be deemed by them a deed of glory, and their women's dark eyes would light up with a ficree joy when they returned home with the captured English sabres adorning Saduzai sashes !”

Yet, in spite of his vaguc words, Hassan prepared himself to help us if necessary, f(or on glancing into the tent for a moment, 1 saw him carefully feeling the keen edge of the weapon which he usually carried.

“Darak, the scapegoat!” “ Darak, the nation’s scorn ! Dcath to Darak!” were some of the crics which we distinguished from the babcel of sounds which arose from the lips of those who were following the

T ‘MM

1HLE STRAND

MAGAZINL.

fugitive. Hec was now within thirty yards of the tent, and we stepped forward and ex- citedly cheered him on.

“Refuge!” was the one solitary and appealing cry which burst from his lips as he ran towards us at a tremendous speed before the horde, which seemed fully bent on his destruction. When he was only a few yards

distant from us, Denviers raised his rifle to

sm his shoulder, and,

S Wl taking steady aim, Covmese covered the fore-

CUPHE FUGETIVE 1).‘\1:;151) rast us.” most of the pur- sucrs, while the

fugitive darted past us, and, with an marticu- late cry, threw himself, utterly exhausted, upon the cushions of the tent. The howling mob halted and held a hurried conference for a moment, then one of them attempted to advance, as if for the purpose of holding a conversation with us. Denviers was how- cver resolute 0 he knew too well the treacherous character of the race, and feared lest, in an unguarded moment, the Afghan’s sword might he stealthily thrust into the man whom we had for the present saved from his

focs. He raised his rifle again to his shoulder—a silent message which the man

rightly understood ; for, after a further dis- cussion with the others, they all uttered a wild cry of baffled rage and ran swiftly back towards Ghuzni to rouse, as we conjectured, its inhabitants to join them in an attack upon us.

“We shall have some sort of a respite,” said Denviers, as we entered the tent @ but I expect that the fugitive will bring us into conflict with these Afghans, It will be best