Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1896-04-29

tailed TO DO. 1t was painful 70 see the
fear-distended nostrils, the giaring eyes,
and the trembe of every muscle III their
hard-knit frames.
The clash of the hoofs and the 0minous
slide as the hard iron hit the unrelenting
bowlder made both man and horse thrill
with absolute terror. 1t was simply
awful Nothing but the lust of blood,
when man hunts mantle greatest and
most exciting hunt of all-could have
steeled the hearts of the pursuers. Moth
ing but the blind trust in company, which
drives the warhorse into the deadly
charge-the hideous companionship OF
perfect fear-could have enabled the
horses to succeed in this awful enter
prise. Their groans sent cold shudder
down the spnes of the men. Tears
started to Bagshan Khan's eyes at the
agony of his beloved mare. lie vented
his feelings in curses, and so dld ms
white brother. The passage did not
last twenty minutes. 1t might nave
been twenty hours.
All reached the plain safely. But the
horses were spent with terror. Inc
camels were seen not half mile ahead
making for the ravines as fast as blows
could urge them. The Englishman
pulled out his flask. and, pouring a few
drops on his handkerchief, wiped the
horses nostrils. Then he mounted.
BaLshan Khan breathed into his mares
nostrils, and Gurdit Singh mounted and
Allah, mounted too. At first tr0t-
feeble and uncertain; then, as they felt
good firm ground, a gallop. The horses
regained courage with pace. The camels
neared the ravineS as the pursuers raced
hard for them. In that supreme mo-
ment there was nothing known of race
or creed or color The Biluch, Sikh,
Pathan and Englishman. each swearing
indiscriminately at each other, raced for
blood.
Another 800 yards A camels leading
rope breaks, and the jaded brute stands
A couple of shots from the Waziris.
Bakshan Khan pulls up and is off his
mare like a streak of lightning. A shot
from his rifle hits the man who is striv-
ing to drive the camel on. The rest
sweep on with a yell! Another 200 yards
to crossl They have them No!
They reach the brink of the first ra-
vine to find nothing. In a way incon-
ceivable, except to an actual beholder,
there remains only a solitary camel and
dying man bleeding from bullet
wound in the back of the neck. The
rest are as clean gone as if the earth
had swallowed them up.
1t is hopeless to search those endless
ravines. The horses were quite done
up. Eight hours hard going across that
dreadful country at an average of five
miles an hour made it far more desirable
to make for home as quickly as possible.
So they loaded the dead MahSud on the
camel, and, after resting a couple of
hours, began to wend their weary way
home by the easiest way known. The
horses found water and grass about
nightfall, and the seven weary and
hungry men forgot all differences of race
and religion in considering their safety
and relief in that dangerous desert.
Each man put his provisions out Oh
fiat rock, and then, under cover of the
dark, each went alone and took his
share. The Mussulman drank from the
English flask, the Sikh ate the Mussul-
mans chupatties the Englishman took
and smoked a pill of the blessed Opium.
Surely God sent that drug for mans
solace in his hour of utmost need.
1t was nearly noon the next day when
the pursuers returned to the post After
taking six hours dead sleep it was time
to attend to business. Habibulah had
recognized his camel, and also the dead
man as man he had met on the road
near Mir Ali Khel, who had said he
was coolie on the road. The great
question now was how TO get the re-
naming eight camels back. At the in
stigatiOn of Bakshan Khan the follow
ing device was adopted: A rope was
hung from one of the big beams support
ing the roof OF the gate, and Bahhta-
war, mounted on a ghi-box. was placed
with the moose round his neck
In this position he was told before his
fellow prisoner that unless the camels
returned safe and sound before the third
sun set his corpse would be burned on
the dunghills below the post. The other
youth was then stripped to a garment do
ing duty for a shirt soundly logged and
then hunted out of the post defenseless.
1t had previously been ascertained that
the two were cousins, and that Bakhta-
war was the son of a man having some
influence. The dead mans corpse was
not to be burned unless the camels failed
to return. He was also an influential
persOn-Or had been.
All that now remained was to wait
and trust that the camels would be re-
stored. 1t was a game of brag. The
young Mahsud bore himself with a calm
Indifference to his fate. He even pre-
tended that he was a Ghazi, and as such
could not burn. One could not but adj
mire his courage. None the less was
he carefully guarded under a Sikh guard,
no Mussulman being allowed to approach
him; for the faith of Islam is as the
faith of Free Masons, and the oath of
the Sikh is as strong as the sword that
baptizes him.
On the afternoon of the day that was
to end Bakhtawar's life an old man
came into the post. He was Bakhta-
wars father. Gray, broken-toothed,
scars on his face and arms from count
L.
Tomorrow at sundown," said he. "you
shall see eight camels come in. If not.
hang and burn me with my only son!''
After this he said no word. Respite was
perforce granted, and the English of
fcer went to bed wondering how he was
to get out Of the scrape. If the game
of brag failed, what was he to do? An
hour before dawn the hand of the Afridi
jenladar was laid on his face and the
voice said: "Let go the wild goats, for
I go out hunting and will not return till
/ bring the hornsv'
Il am not afraid" was the reply, ego
not till the second dawn!' and the ie-
madar retired as softly as he came
1t was late afternoon, and the sun all
but touched the Western mountain crest
when they took the old man and his son
and put nooses on their necks, and their
feet on the boxes, with horse harnessed
to each rope. Lower and lower sank the
sun. Half the disc had gone when a
camel turned the corner of the rocky
road below the post. Just as the sun set
the eight camels stood inside the post,
with two stout, grinning Mahsuds in
charge.