Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1891-09-24

sir7" he had asked. angrily. tapping
tho bundle Of uncompromising papers,
at which Billy glanced with rueful de-
spair in his honest eyes. You are
distinctly careless, wanting in tact.
useless at Office work-what's the use
of complaining Of your writers. sir2-
inattentive and argumentative- Ride
OF course; and that's about all you're
fit for. That and tennis; but, IN
luckily. these won't advance you in
your profession. o gain you respect
nor AZ you for a command"
Then the colonel had stolen n look
at the frank. bright face and thought
for the millionth time how ridiculous
Il all was The lad was honorable and
! brave. WIZ not trust % time and
ira ming 10 do the rest? lie wanted a
tight hand over him. % course, hut
why be forced % send mp a nasty. dis
paraging report Of him 10 hcadquar-
tersf
somehow the colonel could not hnd
IL in his heart Ia do L. and was still
worrying over Il when a telegram was
brought IN addressed ITO the officer
commanding This was followed
shortly by a knock az the rough door
opening outward on 70 the cold. wind
swept Enclosure. a struggle 10 shut the
same and n tall smart-loOking officer
entered. helmet in hand.
Oh. that you. Hamcrton. I was
just going 70 send for you There's a
row up khunaz way. James. % the
police, wounded Gihazis again killed
. lot Of people I'm ordered 70 send an
intelligent officer to investigate the
thing and report You'll have a tick
lish job, but I can rely upon y0u- I've
been thinking whom you had better
take You see I can only spare one or
two. either Bates or Thompson. Bates
has the longest head. and yet Thomp-
>on-welL. IL il came to blows. some
how I should prefer Thompson But
do aS you like
A. he said this the colonel instructive
" glanced at the pile OF papers beside
hun Bates name happened to lie up
peruuoSI with its every question snug
IL and neatly answered. ThompSon-s
had frisked OF gayly in the open door.
and was but just saved from being
chew ed under the table by IIamertOn-s
puppy, who had followed his master in.
1t shall b. little Bilrr.- said Mai
Hamerton To- himself. and proceeded To
the discussion of further details con
corning escort and commissaria. ar
engagements for the small expedition.
\ little before nightfalI they started,
n party Of fifteen in an-the two Eng
lish officers. Billy in a state % the
widest JOY and bursting with impur-
lance. a duffedar. and twelve SOwarS IF
the khunaz horse A second telegram
had been received soon after the first
saying that the Gihazis. who were few
in number. had taken themselves of.
that a native hospital assistant was in
charge Of James. the wounded police
officer. and that he was tn be brought
back here, because there was no other
European doctor nearer than Quetta-
Hope we come across the bc-gaH.-
Billy sad. gieefully.
But the colonel. who had ridden ont
\ little way with the party and mad
wished them good luck found him
self saying something like a prayer in
his heart for the safe return of the two
men. who were. in his opinion. the very
pick of the regiment
In times of peace these ingiorious
little brushes with sneakin@t'Ihazis are
not among the -pleasantest features OF
service in Afghanistan- To sn old soI-
der they SAVIOR too much OF that pes
ting from behind hedges To v,Aieh no
military glory Is aft1e-~d lie does
not care about se-tihg OUT GOOD men
to furnish ta.gets for sSuiking devils
80 g. #w-&.N -
are merrfy possessed with a fauetical
DESIRE to spill Eerringbee blood Where
fore the commanding officer was in ~
ease. and for the next two DAYS there
fell i dizziness and a malaise upon
everybody in camp.
Upon the third day after the derart.
IRE of the expedition the colonel rode
out to reconnotter. along with the doe
tor. who was always game for 4 ride.
The commanding officer was more
anxious than he allowed To appear.
Somehow, n two years soiouru in those
dreary wilds draws men very close to-
gether when they are made OF good
stuff The party ought Ia have re-
|. Srned ere this. and the eoIoneI's hear,
r,,dSSquieted within him He was
snddepTv rs horizon carefully. when
! eyes e1 up and shaded m
What's that little clio
tor Is it a devil or ~
. horsemen2~ ape %
r IhedJctor. whose eyes were vounger
snswei.d that il was no devil. bn
norsemen- aud that they were maxim.
kfor camp.
BY Jove" exclaimed the ~colone
: with his field glasses M. 1T is-it,
: Thompson with n sovvarrr"
In another moment they were cut.
| ting across 10 meet them.
Billy was riding a lie IN or two II
! front and his jaded horse pulled M o,
us own accord as he neared the an
Poaehlng riders. The sowar salutes
I ana remained s~toltily immovable II
{ the background Both men an horse.
I were eaked with dust and wore =
weary. detected air.
Were bringing in James all rsxh. >
answered Billy. in to shs
l eoionels Questioning gesture .Bal
: we had a hght-Gihazis, this sils
hhunaz Hamsrton's badly wounded
. I've come on fOt the doetar-his onl,
chance The black fellow bolted whe
T was looking after James Can n.
doctor 60 at once. sir2 This soval
: wants a fresh horse-that's all
1 After n word or two with the com
mandant the doctor sped toward CAM
with h soxar at his heels lie PAUSE
! for n ome by the side Of Billy ans
looked him in the face.
: Il shall b. unda~ sxa- n .-