The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-03-29

sons had frisked oil gayly in the
draught of the open door, and was but
just saved from being chewed under
the table by Hamcrton's puppy. who
had followed his master in.
1t shall be- little Billy, ~ said Major
Hamerton to himself; and proceeding
to the discussion Of further details con-
corning escort and comnissariat ar
engagements for the small expedition.
a little before nightfau they started, .
a party of fifteen In all: the two Eng. /
lish oficers-Billy in a state of the /
widest joy and bursting with import /
ance-a duffedar, and twelve Sowars Of /
the Khunaz Horse. a second telegram
had been received soon after the first
saying that the Ghazis, who were few
in number, had taken themselves off;
that native hospital assistant was in
charge of James the wounded police
officer; and that he was to be brought
back here, because there was no other
European doctor nearer than Quota
Hope we come across the beggars,"
Billy said, gleefully.
But the colonel, who had ridden out
little way with the party, and had
wished them good luck, " found him
self saying something like 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 ingloriOus
| little brushes with sneaking Ghazis are
not among the pleasantest features Of
service in Afghanistan. To an old sol
der they SAVIOR too much of that pot
! ting from behind hedges with which
the Irish peasantry have faniliarized
us, and to which no military glory is
attached. He does not care about
sending out good men to furnish tar
gets for skulking devils, who have no
ground of quarrel, but are merely pos
sessed of fanatical desire to spill Fer
ringhee blood Wherefore the com
manding officer was i'll at ease, and for
the next two days there fell dizziness
and malaise upon everybody in camp.
Like the influenza it attacked them all,
from the colonel downward, only, as
Kipling says, that is another story.
1t was in the spring Of 1890 that the
influenza came sweeping over Afghan
istan, death laden from European cit
les. 1t was when April had cast its
brief ethereal spell upon this barren
spot, and had woven fairy carpet of
flowers all over the plain, teaching the
grim landscape the meaning of smile.
Only for few beautiful days in all the
year is the ground moist and fragrant,
and covered with delicate short lived
blossoms. Like lovely ghosts they
come and go-the white wild hyacinth
bells, the small red tulip, the exquisite
purple iris. 1t was with these sweet
; visitors that the influenza came, deal
ing suffering and death among the
lonely scattered outposts, where com
forts are few and luxuries for the sick
/ unprocurable.
; But in this January the plain was
barren of any verdure or vegetation
1 save for leafess shrub that grows
| low upon the earth and gives out a fra
r GRANGE resembling that of wild thyme
4 And you could see right away to TIT
: horizon in one direction and as far as
chain of low, rocky hills in the other.
l Upon the third day after the depar
3 ture of the expedition the colonel rod
J out to reconnoiter along with the doc
tor, who was always game for a ride
r The commanding officer was more an1
/ ious than he allowed to appear. Some
l. how a two years sojourn in those drear
|, wilds draws men very close togethe
when they are made of good stuff. Th
, party ought to have returned ere this
~ and the colonies heart was disquiete
within him. He was scanning the hol
q lion carefully, when suddenly he pulle
Ii up and shaded his eyes.
10 whats that little cloud of dus
q doctor2 Is it q devil or couple
~ horsemenW
10 The doctor, whose eyes were younge
10 answered that it was no devil, " bt
ID horsemen, and that they were makir
y for camp.
n ''By Jove!" exclaimed the colon
OF with his field glasses up, lit is-lt
IL Thompson and Sowarp
In another moment they were GU
as ting across to meet them.
I'll Billy was riding length or two
~ front, and his faded horse pulled
10 of its own accord as he neared the
q preaching riders. The Sowar salut
OF and remained stondly immovable
the background. Both men and hor:
~ were caked with dust, and wore
ITO weary, detected air.
d" ''We're bringing in James all rig
ne ST." answered Billy in response to
us coloners questioning gesture. But
Sc had fight-Ghazis, this side Khun
oA Hamerton's badly wounded. I've co
aI, on for doctor; his only chance. I
VI black fellow bolted who was look
III after James. Can the doctor go
Ahy once, sir2 This Sowar wants a FIR
'i horse, that's all"
Ut After q word or two with the CT
mandant the doctor sped toward ca
'oA with the Sowar at his heels.
gnt paused for moment by the side
Is IL Billy and looked him in the face.
anu ST shall be under way in ten L
anu utes," he said. ''Look here, old
q low, you've had about enough;
why home and turn in" He was strucE
rag the look of agony and mental strair
the boys face.
llli S, After that the colonel got very
SUN words out of him. He saw that