The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-02-19

"it is said that the khan would have held
back" rejoined the other, "tor he knew that
the Feringhees (Europeans( are strong but
when he heard that these dogs (may Allah
consume them9 had insulted his own da a:
ter Gulpyaz, when she came hither IN the
last moon with his message to the chiefs OF
the city, he swOre that not man OF the un-
believers should escape, and he will keep his
OATH"
And the speakers voice was lost in the
St. Cair's heart grew chill within him as he
listened. His worst suspicious were now
fully confirmed, and the benumbing sense of
secret treachery (of all things the most alb
horred to brave many oppressed him like
nightmare.
Scarcely knowing what he did, he stepped
forth as If to follow the two conspirators, and
found himself face to face with Guleyaz her
self.
There she stood in the ghostly twilight
calm and beautiful as ever, but with a SOM
bre light in her large dark eyes, such as one
sees in those of the hungry tiger, when, after
a long and weary circuit through the jungle,
he sees the deer which he has been tracking
fairly within reach at last.
"Feringhee," she said, taking his hand, "you
showed me kindness once, and an Afghan
never forgets either good or evil. Death is
waiting for the English host, and have come
to save you ere it be too late"
''It is you, then, who have betrayed us"'
said Herbert with an intensity Of scorn which
no words can convey.
The taunt struck home. In an instant the
tender, clingng woman sprang up into an
offended queen.
"Betrayed!" echoed she fercely. "Is it
treachery to aid my own race against its enc
mics? Why did the Feringhees come hither
to waste our valleys and burn our homes?
Why have they taken our own king from us,
and set up in his stead dog unworthy to tie
A eo|,o &c oil Rnt
fore the full moon shall have spent her Zig hit,
the dogs shall lick the blood Of every FeriDg-
hee in Cabul!'
Herbert shrank back appalled,, so hideously
changed was that beautiful face by the sud
den tempest of passion. But this movement
of aversion checked her rage in mid-current,
and the warm, womanlv heart beneath assert
ed itself once more:
''Do not be angry with me-" she whispered,
pleadingly; mo one shall harm you while
i've Hear me-the English are many and
mighty, but what avails the tigers strength
when he is once in the tolls? Every leave on
yonder hills is an Afghan warrior, every twig
you out of the city, and bid my friends keep
you safe till all is over. Why should you per-
ish in vain?'
AS she spoke, there came over her hearers
noble face smile of grand and commanding
scorn. He drew up his towering figure to it's
| finchingly as he replied:
do you ask me to desert my comrades in
| their sorest need, just that may save my own
| life? Thank you-such meanness does not
run in our blood. If we are to die, we will
die like brothers. shoulder to shoulder strik-
| ing hard and deep to the last, with the old
En- lish flag flying overhead"
The girl looked at him-a look which j.,
through all the horrors that were to come, he
never forgot. Grief, anger, tenderness, won
dering admiration, were all mingled in the
momentary flash of those marvellous eyes.
| Then she pressed his hand passlonately to
her lips and was gone.
Ha! What was that sudden glare that broke
! out over the whole eastern side vi the town
Aud what could be the meaning Of that dull
distant roar, like far-of sea, swelling ever
louder and louder till the ear could dis
tinguish the sharp crackle of musketry, the
crush of falling buildings, the clamor o
countless voices, and high over all the terri
BILE war shout. Allah Akbar!"-God is victor
ious.
Just at that moment four soldiers, torn am
blood-stained, came marching past, carryin!
helpless, CHASTITY, dust-begrimed figure, il
which even st. Clair himself could scarcel
recognize his once gay and dandihed JUNO
lieutenant.
''It's all up, old boy" said the lad, family
They have fired our quarters and murde1e
) poor Burnes and ever SO many more; and tn
' it but to die game" ~
Nothing, indeed" muttered '~Herbe1
r "God have mercy on us all!'
The next moment he was Fastening at fu
h speed toward the scene of action.
+ CHAPTER 1u---rHE VALLEY OF" dealt
t All great historical MISUNDERSTANDING
: wrecks, London pestilences, Saragossa siege
i NJ scOW retreatS-are wont to prOlOng tt
l., agony which they intlict, and to let fall the
: vengeance drop by drop, instead of merciful
: ending all with one crushing blow.
g So it Jared with the il]-flted invaders
Cabul. The murderer of Sir Alexand
+ Burnes, the noblest of the countless marty
e in that disastrous year, was only the first drt
:, of a coming storm.
Then followed blow upon blow, the risir
h of the whole surrounding country, the d
struction of the accommodating parties Sc
d out toolate by the commander-in- chief; II
h capture OF the British stores, which left Il
n troops almost without food, and at length
r. the fatal LIST Of January, 1912, the crown
b madness of the convention of retreat"
which the whole army gave itself up to its d
b. stroyers, accepting the assurance of a ga
passage homeward from the very men wi
8 had sworn the death Of every British soldi
" in Cabul.
', Foremost in every combat was Herbert
Of Clair, recklessly exposing himself to all da
re gers; for, soldier as he was to his very fngt
tips, the sight ofan English flag aishonor
e. and an English army in retreat, bowed hi
Of down with a sense of personal disgra'
OF and made him careless of life after such
st humiliation.
ne But, to the amazement of all who witness
of his reckless daring, he came out Of eve
IN fight as scathless as he had gone into it; a
D. the conviction gradually forced itself up
er him, with a thrill of mingled bitterness a
I'd delight, that the Afghans had purpose
spared his life, that theyh done so becau
le he was the man whom their great prince
daughter secretly loved
Meanwhile the course of events went inc
ot orally on. On the fifth Of January, in t
ne depths of the terrible Afghan winter, the ft
be lorn army-two-thirds of which were m
il reared amid the burning heat OF India-fl
an through the gate of Cabul, wearied, dcjecte
half-starved, llsupplied with ammunitit
,g to commence its long march of death.
he For time it seemed as if the assurance
he safety were really to be kept. They pass
ill the great plain without firing shot or s.
'er ing the face of an enemy, and even the nj
en- experienced officers began to hope that, af
all, their worst approximations might pre-
s." unfounded.
on But they little knew the man with wht
they had to deal. Akbar Khan was not G
le; to let slip the prey which he had once
shared, and the jaws o. death were alrea
he gaping for every man of the Inflated army
IN no of oo1o int.