Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1896-09-20
THE COLON ELS SON.
A Story of the Indian Frontier.
Donald Fraser was Given the Op-
portuniry of Finding Out Whether
lie was Made of Heroic Stuff.
Ply VICTOR SAND.

Fort Fraser stands on bare, precipl-
tous foorhill Of the Himalayas. In the
old davs it was called Fort Buchlai'"
but grateful government changed tha
rona for reasons which will be made
apparent.
DonsId Fraser is a small boy, in short
Jackets. attending an Engllsh puollC
school. His cheeks are rudy ms e?e'
ora bright, and he Is manly httie lei
low every inch OF him. But there IS
notbirg notlceably remarkable aoou.
him when rlaced among crowd Oh
cher schoolboys Of his age. Yet DON
old Fraser's brief life history figures
brayely in the golden book OF the indian
emplre. A viceroy has patted MS curly
head. the empress-Queen hers51f mas
written him her thanks. In point OF
! fac. Fort Fraser. which was formerly
Fort Buchlai,' was renamed III honoi
OF this spoiled child Of fortune.
When Donald came to Fort Buehlal, II
was. as It is still, stronghold OF the
utmost importance-the key, in fact, 10
an important pass OF the Himalayan
mountains. II was. however, looked.
upon = almost lmpregnable, and the
British government felt that, so long as
the plans OF rs fertilization could be kept
secret. no Russian or other enemy from
the North could enter the garden OF In
Idia in that direction. Consequently
these plans were treasured as beyond all
price Only picked officers and men
were sent to Fort Buchlai, so that there
might be no danger of any traitor selling
maps or information TO Prussia.
For many years the Muscovite empire
has been striving by crafty means 70
gain knowledge of the approaches 10
British India. Il has long been the
openly avowed intention OF Russia 10
eventually cross the Hlmalayas, and
oyerrun the rich provinces now under
English control To this end, agents and
spies by the thousand are yearly des-
patched along the frontiers. 70 gather,
by fair means or foul every scrap of in
telligence which might lead toward The
early occupation OF Hindustan. Inc
Russian is a na,urall5orn spy, and he
has been successful in many cases in BAT
fling English watchfuiness. But az yet
all knowledge of Fort Buchlai had been
denied to the emissaries Of the white
car
Now, Fort Buchlai w2s the one place,
above all others, with Which Russia
yearned to become familiar Il was a
verita5le land Gibraltar: and It's guns
swept the entire Amarah valley for
leagues in both directions. Perched on
It's rugged foo:hiH soiiily bull. from the
hewn rock. and zealously guarded, day
and night. By the flower OF the Anglo
Indian army. d must reman q sore
thorn in Russia's side. Only by guile
could Il be overcome; and vast sums
were offered 10 him who should succeed
in caDturng a copy Of the coveted plan
OF fortifca.ions. With an accurate map
OF Fort Buchlai and its approaches at
his disposal. a Russian general could
take the place. and hurl his men through
the narrow mountain pass behind into
Cashmere valley.
But Lieugnaut-COlonel Fraser and Tho
men under MIN were not Of the stun
which sells It's honor Donald's father.
2 stalwart Scot was IN command OF
Fort Buchlai and with him had come
the mOtherless BARN about whom this
story Is woven. A battalion Of High
landers portion Of GOorkha regiment.
and field battery formed Colonel Fra
ser's small force-small. but quite large
enough 20 defend the fort, so long as
treason STAYED outside the bastions. Lit
tie Donald was. of course, the pc. Of the
camp. being its only juvenile. and the
ColonePs son to boot. He knew all the
Highlanders and artillerymen by name;
and romped merrily with the Goorkhas.
those wonderful. wiry little warriors
so good-humored In peace. so terrible in
war. The only person in all the fort or
whom ne stood in awe was his father;
and. indeed, British cOmmandant, on
the frontiers. with plenary powers OF life
and death. is considerably awe-inspiring.
L gave Donald a thrill when he entered
the COloneps strong room ~ the fort, and
saw the mysterious despatch boxes, and
The allurlng. many-colored maps which
crowded lis every corner. But toward
the big. brass bound box in the corner
his admiring eyes stole most frequently.
For we'll he knew that in that box lay
what Russia hungered for so fiercely-
the full and particular plans Of Fort
Buchlai.
my boy" said Colonel Fraser Chat
box. and those maps, must be defended
with our lives II necessary. They mean
the safety of the Indian empire-do you
understand"
And Donald understood.
II was springtime in the pass OF Amer
,ah. The new grass bowed blithely be
| fore the winds: and from the North came
an endless train OF clravans-"the snow
bound trade" from beyond The noun
tains. let loose from its wintry bondage.
Few came from ne South in springtime.
We only the overland mail runners and
messengers from The government; hence
Il occasionei much pleasurable surprise
among The lonely officers OF the fo-,
when three distinguished visitors arrived
at their gates from the direction of Cash
mere.
The newcomers carried credentials
from ne viceroy of India himself. in
which their names and d.gnities were re-
cited q. great length. They were. said
the viceroy, Freuchmen C. international
reputation; and, as such. Colonel Fraser
was ordered to show them every a,ien-
! ton.
From The very first Donald did rot
like tn 50 yenturesome Frenchmen. To
| me colonel and his officers they seemed
pleasant gentlemen enough; 0Ut nothing
could induce the boy TO make friends
With his fathers guests. Instead Of sit
ting a. the mess table, as was his Gus
! TON be stnla of 10 Tho snlliar,s nnarters