New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-31
CHECK MATED.
A LINNAUS OF THE HINDOO-KOOSH.


The relentless August sun beat down on the
old native fortress, which had lately been con
verted into the British frontier post OF Fort
Chardagh down on the dusty little barrack
sJuare, where a smooh-faoed English BOY
aided by native Jemadar, - drilling levy
Of huge black haired Pathans; down on the
stuffy little office where a Bal telegraph clerk,
terrified by the uncongenial surroundings 10
which he had been translated. squatted haif.
asleep wondering II he would ever see Chandhi
Chowk again. but keeping Growsy eye on the
needle of the instrument which seemed to him
his only link with civilization; down on the
meagrcy furnished little room in the ofllcers
quarters where cursinG lis lot even more Vehe-
mently than the telegraph clerk sat captain
John Armstrong. ID. s. o., the political oiiicer OF
the district. 1t was only quite recently that
Fort Chardagh had risen to the dignity or pos
sessng a political officer and telegraph clerk:
The district il controlled was. for that part OF
the world. a singulary peaceful one, and II
commanded none Of the great passes leading
into India. True. il pushed 90 far forward
into the Hindoo- Koosh as to he the nearest Brit
ish outpost to the Russian sphere of Influence IN
Central Asia. but it was less on this account
than because Of its proximity to the powerful
khanate of Dit that the Government had SUD
denly thought fit o station political officer
there England was the verge OF undertake
ing one Of her little" frontier wars. which
might easily develop into a big one II the Diltis
elected 10 throw in their lot with the recalcl-
trant tribes il thought necessary to PUNISH,
and although no European had ever been per-
mited to enter Dtistan. it was considered ad-
visable to keep watchful eye on II from our
nearest point uf vantage Armstrong. IMAM
whom none Of the younger Cffcers of the day
possessed a better knowledge Of either the from
tier tribes their dialects. had beef selected
for the post. and thus il was that on that
GREATNESS August afternoon he was sitting
cursing the fate which had consigned him to
such God -forsaken spot. for he felt that the
three months he had already passed there mlght
Just as profitably have been PASSED in the High
lands Of Scotland as in those OF Pathanistan. AS
he Law listessly smoking and listening to the
sounds vaguely floating in through the open
window from the parade ground below captain
81 ,t,chlt had
But relief even now at hand. discreet
cough and tap on the door presently announced
Mohan Lal. the telegraph clerk bearing a lresn-
" arrived Dispatch which. as he opened H.
Armstrong was in official cipher code. ana
therefore Of Importance. and so. disrnissing me
salaaming Babu he hastily got cut his code
book and proceeded to dccipher it. 1t was from
the political officer at Peshawur, and when
translated read thus:
From slmla. Reported Russian political
agent leaves Reshat (he nearest Russian post
to our frontier) on 21st Secret mission Dilt.
watch frontier. If found on British territory
turn back Use every possible effort prevent
success Important. Acknowledge.
"BRAIDWOOD Peshawur
So, here was work at last. and pretty tic<sh
work, too Armstrong well knew. Many a
man in his place would have telegraphed back
for more explicit instructions; but he was not
one Of that sort. and merely sending curt
acknowledgment Of the receipt Of the message
he set to work To- think things out. This
the 18th. and on the list the Russian agent was
expected to leave Rcshat; and here Armstrong
spread out his map e the district. and endeav
ored to calculate distances on II no very easy
task as neither in Russian nor in Dilt territory
were British topographefs exactly welcome
guests. II was evident that any person going
from Reshat to Dit must at certain point
pass very close to the imaginary British from
tier line: but then the Diltis might have ar
ranged a meeting somewhere outside their own
country, and even If he found the Russian tres
passing on territory claimed to be under British
Influence. he could but warn him Off as
to detain him forcby would he rather
only have got some reliable information
from Reshat! But it was fully weeks
journey distant, and there was no direct
road thither merely shecp-track occasionally
used by UZbegs bringing down salt in the sum
mer time For time he actually thought OF
making a dash for Dill; himself. on the off
chance Of foresang and outbidding the Rus
tan agent: but had to dismiss this idea, he
knew the Government would never sanction
such a course. which, moreover. would pro3a-
bly, only result in the murder Of himself and
his escort For fully twenty minutes Armstrong
walked up and down the bare little room
volvng plans in his mind ard putting out huge
volumes of smoke. until an idea struck him
and summoning a servant he bade him lind
the Havildar' DaoJd Shah. and tell him the
Captain Sahib would speak with him at once.
Presently a shadow fell across the map over
which he still porting: but he did not look
NJ until he had lesuroly finished his inspection
Of it. Armstrong had not lived among natives
all these years without learning that one should
never seem in hurry Then he raised his eyes,
and the he had sent for standing mo-
tionless at attention in the doorway.
Now, Armstrong had been agreeably surprised
on his arrival AT Fort Chardagh to find in the
havildar OF the newly raised native levy an
old acquaintance in the shane of Daoud Shah
who some years previously had acted for three
seasons in succession as his shikari when ibeX-
stalking in Baltistan. when a strong feeling OF
mutual regard had sprung up between the two
men. A Fathan of the Pathans rocking nothing
of human life. and outcast from his own
district on account Of a blood-feud, Daoud Shah
had like many Of his compatriots drfted into
he Rriti Ch q h. Ia