The National tribune., 1902-07-03
The. RIVER FORT.
A Story OF the Northwest From
tier of India.
BY FRANK SANILE.

Miss Nane and Ma j. FentOn had Strollcd
up the slope behind the tents to sit down
beneath the shadow of great boulder
The camp. bathed in the April sunshine
lay stretched at their feet. Just beyond
its outskirts Il cloud OF dust rolled on to-
ward the river banks. parting now and
again 20 reveal glimpScs of green and
gold. and lit with swift CLEANS of scab-
bard and lance. The torrent Shonc like
molten silver between gray, oyerhangine
rocks TIL 1t disappeared two miles away
into the shadows thrown by il toWcrin.
crag III the very center of the ravine The
hattlrments that crowned he crag were
distinct against the sky. and it was evil
dent that the horsemea who had $, t the
dust aStir were making straight for them.
Fenton smiled grimly, as he pointed to-
ward the group.
| There goes the blackest rascal OF al
the frontier line" said he.
Miss Nane arched her eyebrows be
meath the shadow of her hat.
"Afrullah Khan" she asked. with
great surprise. Il thought his manner $
! perfect
Fenton nodded.
This afternoon they left nothing to be
desired he agreed; but they won't bear
the strong light Of history. Unspcakalla
| legends of cruelty hang about HIS name.
| Il think you are Il little hard. He has
| fought lis: he has bcon beaten. Now he
sees that nothing is to be gained by fur
| ther resistance, he makes his submis
sion and makes it freely
Quite so. While we keep our present
garrison mt .Assourah in all probability he
| will be submissive enough. Wait till the
| road-making is finished and the troops axe
withdrawn" ..
She shook her head.
"NonSensc.' she said. decidedly. You
may trust Il won:ans instincts Il good
bon.
feel certain that he means honestly by us:
that he wishes to demonstrate his good
faith. That is why he has asked Henry
to return his visit before we move camp
tomorrow
Fenton stared.
do You mean to tell me tina. he has
asked the Colonel into his foIt-into Font
Kotal?" he demanded.
Yes. We are going to ride over when
the sun gets little lower"
I'VE. Who are wc:'
Beatrice. Henry and L.
Fcnton started to his feet with some
thing like the sound of an oath.
Am | to understand that Col. Mae
worth is going to take his wife and you
into that jackars den? He must be
made'
Really, Maj. Fenton. think you may
trust my brOther-in-law to take proper
care of, ut any rate, his wife. Bee is
most anxious to go. SO am L.
'.But-but' stammcred. hardly
knowing what words to use. so great was
his vchcmencc, but he can't know wha.
he is doing. Not soul but Afrulah
Khan's own brigands have ever seen the
inside of Fort Kotal since it was built.
And they-in addition to the frightful
oaths of fealty they have sworn-have got
to come to him certified by hlooslguilti
hess. There isn't one of the villains but
Well. she answered. 'camDiaccntly,
that only proves my theory that his sub
mission is thorough. or he wouldn't de- it
1T proves that he is up to some scnun-
drelly trick" exploded Fenton; Won
shan't GO"
The smile vanished from her face.
''Shan't?" she asked, coldly.
IL shall use my every effort to pre-
vent it." stammered Fenton. Il shall eX-
plain matters to the Colonel. He has no
previous knowledge of Afrullah Khan. |
have"
Il think can trust Henry to know his
own mind said the girl. 'and | shall
have n poor opinion Of him if he changes
it. Why. he would he failing in his duty
an opportunity of gaining the good will
of the hillmen." .-- -...
Their good will! The good will of
Pathan,' cried the man. "The black
guard wouldn't knew the meaning OF the
term if YOU explained il to him for an
hour! To him peace is only the interval
used TO prepare for further war, And |
wish to goodness Macworth hadn't told
him what our convoy was. When he
heard that those eases contained the rifles
for the new levies, and that there was Il
round thousand of them, his eyes grew
simply wOlhsh-there is no other word
for it."
..No doubt you would have made an in
finitely better commander for the convoy
than my brother-in-law," said Miss Vanc.
sarcastically. but as he happens to he
in charge of it-and of mel shall ven
ture to be guided by his opinions. Shall
we go down? l see Beatrice waving her
hand to signal that tea is ready"
- Fenton fiinched. He looked at her APP
pealingly as they turned down the rocky
path.
II didn't mean to be rude" he said,
humbly
But you WERE" said the girl sharply.
and an instant later regretted it, But
as she was proud enough to keep her re-
grets to herself the rest of the walk WAS
passed in constrained and rather misera-
BILE silence.
Though nothing was openly announced.
it was tacitly understood in the camp that.
though there were eight other officers the
chair next to Miss Nanc at tea-time be
lOnged of right to Fenton. Some slight
surprise therefore was felt, though not
shown. when he relnquished both this
right and his tea by walking off to the
Colonies tent. Miss Nanc plunged val
iantly into the general conversation.
Although he was sore mt his snubbing,
it was anxiety that filled the Majors
heart. He was only second in command
of the convoy that was taking rifles, am
munition and stores to Assourah but his
10 years experience on the frontier had
taught him much that his Colonel had yet
TO learn. What he had heard from Miss
Nane made Fenton anxious to commence
his commanders education at once.
Round the tea-table the talk concerned
itself with the guest of the afternoon-
Afrullah Khan, lord of Fort Kotal and
of the adjacent uplands.
His citadel is practically impregnable
for mountain warfare said Forrest of
the Sinks, pointing toward it as he spoke.
"Of course, n fieldgun or two would blow
1T into fragments, but till we appeared on
the scene he had nothing to fear but
jeZails and perhaps one or two old
smooth-bore Cabul cannon. So he has
dominated the country side pretty abso-
lutely."
He could be starved out?" suggested
Mrs. MacwOrth.
Forrest shook his head.
There are acres of cellars in the rock
below-enough to hold two years grain.
at least. He keeps them full, too"
How about water, though? There
surely can't he wo1lS in tb,t ,,r.u;ta