The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-06-05

j
Providence. At last the major satisfied Eim-
self "a that he had left no one behind
among the cairns, and (b) that he was not
being taken in rear by a large and powerful
body of cavalry. The mems tempers were
thoroughly spoiled, the horses were lathered
and unQuiet and one and all prayed for the
daylight.
They set themsel yes to climb up the hill,
each man leading his mount carefully. De-
fore they had covered the lower slopes or
the breast plates had begun TO tighten, q
thunderstorm came up behind, rolling across
the low hills aud drowning any noise less
than that of cannon. The first fash of the
lightning showed the bare ribs OF the ascent,
the hill-creSt standing steely blue against
the black sky, the little falling lines OF
the rain, aud. few yards to their left flank.
an Afghan watchtOweT, tWO-storled, bulli
of stone and entered by a ladder from the
upper story. The ladder was up, and a
man with a rife was leaning from the WIN
dow The darkness and the thunder rolled
down in an instant, and, when the lull fol-
lowed, a voice from the watchtOwer cried,
"Who goes JheTeY
The cavalry were very quiet. but each
man gripped his carbiGe and stood to his
horse. Again the voice called, who goes
there?" and in louder key, 80 brothers,
give the aiarm! Now, every man in the
cavalry would have died in his long boots
sooner than have asked for quarter, but II
a
was a long wall of Mari karOl Mari
karoI which means Have mercy Have
mercy :" 1t came from the climbing Tegl-
meHt
The cavalry stood dumbfoundered, till the
big troopers had time TO whisper one to
another: mir Khan. was that thy voice
Abduilah, didst thou callP Lleutena ant
HALEY stood beside his charger and waited.
So long as no firing was going on lie was
content Another flash OF lightning showed
the horses with heaving TANKS and nOddng
heads, the men, white eyeOaled, garlng
beside them. and the stone watchtoWer TO
the left. This time there was no head at
the window, ana the rude iron-clamped
shutter that could turn rihe-buliet was
closed.
go on, men," said the major. Get up
to the top at any rate.
The squadron toed forward. the horses
wagging their tails and the men pulling at
the brdleS the stones rolling down the hill
side and TIE sparks flying. Lieutenant
HALEY declares that he never heard a
squadron make so much noise IN his lie.
They scrambled up. he said, as though each
horse had eight legs and spare horse TO
follow him. Even then there was no
sound from the watchtOwer and the men
stopped exhausted on the ridge that over
looked the pit of darkness in which the vii
lage of Bersund lay. Girths were loosed,
curb-chainS shifted, and saddles adjusted,
and the men dropped down among the
stones. Whatever might happen new, they
held the upper ground of any attack.
The thunder ceased, and with 1t the rain,
and the soft, thick darkness of a winter
night before the dawn covered them all.
EXcept for the sound of running water
among the Tavines, everything was still.
They heard the shutter nf the watch tower
below them thrown back with elang, and
the voice Of the watcher calling: On,
HafZ Ullab"
The echoes took up the call-"la-la-la!''-
and an answer came from a watchtower
hidden round the curve Of the hill, What
is it Shahbaz Kahn?'
Shahbaz Kahn replied. in the hlgh-pItched
voice Of the mUuntaineer: Hast thou
seen %
The answer come back: Yes, God de-
liver us from all evil spirits
There was a pause, and then: "HatiZ
Utah, / am alone! Come to mel'
"Snahbaz Khan, l am alone, also. but
dare not leave my post!
That is lie; thou art afraid"
a longer pause followed. and then: Il
am afraid. Be silent! They are below US
still. Pray TO God and seep."
The troopers listened and wondered, for
they could not understand what save earth
and stone could be below the watchtOWers
ShahhaZ Kahn began to call again
"They are below us. | can see them. For
the pity of God. come over to me, Hatiz
Ulai! Ny father slew ten Of them. Come
over"
Hafz Ullah answered to the darkness IN
very loud voice: mine was guiltless.
Hear, We Men Of the Night, neither my
father nor my blood bad any part in that
sin. Bear then thine own punishment.
ShahbaZ Kahn"
son, some one ought to stop those two
chaps Growing away Ike cocks there" said
Lieutenant HALEY, shiyering under his
rock.
lie had hardly turned round to expose a
new side Of him TO the rain before long
locked, evl-smeling Afghan rushed up the
hill, and tumbled into his arms. Haley sat
upOn him, and thrust as much OF a sword
HIT as could be spared down the man gull
let. "If YOU cry out, Kill YOU" he said,
! CheeTfully.
! TIE man was beyond any expression OF
! terror; he lay and quaked, gasplng. When
! HALEY took the swOTd-hilt from between
/ his teeth, he was still narticulate, but clung
to Halley's arm, feeling it from elbow TO
wrist.
"The Rissala! the dead Rissalar' he
gUlped at last 1T is down there"
NO; the RisSala, the very much alive
Rissala. It is up here" said HALEY, I'M
shipping his watering bride and fastening
the mans hands. why were you in the
towers so foolish as to let us pass ?"
The valley is full Of the dead. said the
Afghan. st is better TO fall into the hand 5
Of the English than the hands Of the dead.
They march to and fro below there. l saw
them in the lightning"
He recovered his cOmp0sure after little,