The Cairo bulletin., 1904-05-25

Phil Conrad, sat on deck, slno,l
Il ing and talking old times with
the captain. who once com
handed government transport and
Wore the "R. \. II"
Colonel Quartermain says he owes
life and everything else to you" said
the captain.
(which | deny" Conrad replied. Il
simply held my tongue where he was
not at fault and had no business to
NEEDLE Id just come through the en-
emy'a lines with dispatches in the AZ
CHAN war. | was near the British po-
siti0n when, quite unexpectedly to us
both, ! ran plalnp into khabccr Khan.
the most dangerous leader in the dis
trict. also alone
1T was Only question Of first call.
| got Il, The khau surrendered with
out protest and walked humbly be
fore me into camp.
1T wac a big plume for me, Of
course, however little l deserved it.
When early in the evening | hanlel
over my prisoner and delivered my
dispatches. III been twenty hours on
foot, and after eating all coIld con
ven.ently cover | went 10 bed in tie
tent allotted me and was asleep in no
time.
Heavens. how the fellow shook me
before | dragged my eyes open! And
there stood Quartermdin, holding a
lighted ycsta ana looking like 2 ghost
1t was his first commission, and lie was
the scaredest thing | ever saw. He
simply gasped, Khaboer Khan has e5-
capped" and stood staring till tie ycsta
burned his fingers, Then he jumped,
threw ii away lighted another ana be-
gan to stare again.
Il didn't care. Il was rather pleas
ing that had captured him ANA
brought him to camp alone when the
whole detachment couldn't keep him
there a single night but it worked the
mischief with me to h. pulled out Of
sleep that way by Q green junior lien
tenant, and | sWorc at tile youth Y0u
ask him. He'll admit it IN spite Of the
cpaulets he wears today ! swore till
he dropped his second yeatl AMI didn't
dare to light q fresh one What the
deuce ails you anyway ! asked. com,
ing round to wake ne up? 10 YOU
think I'VE got him here under the bed
or win so out again ana llnd him for
youY
"He was meek as a lamb and re-
piled: 4 didn't come for that Hes
gone for good. | only came to ask q
favor Of you for my mother ana sis
ter I'm all they've got, you know
They gaze up everything TO purchase
my commission. and at the very start
this beagtly fuke win knock me ont of
it. God knows | would keep still il
could suffer alone, but on top Of the
rest to have them buried in shame Is
tough, and | thought If could explain
4 to you you'd let me down easy In
the papers for their sake This is the
last chance III have free. SO | had to
wake You up I'm sorry.
I'D have promised anything, hands
down. to get him away, but the poor
fellow had to rehcarse the whole or
collapse The khan had been ironed
and put In the two room hut used
as guardhouse, and Quarermain
with four sepoys-for goodness knows
why detailed as special guard.
zone Of the sepoys named Balaya,
confessed that he was n relative Of
the khan and asked to be relieved. 1T
was an extremely honorable thing for
him TO do, don't you know, for a Hin
doc Is bound by every law he knows to
defend relative. even If it includes
the murder Of an English officer
Quartermain understood it and sent
word to the colonel commanding. ask
Ing that Balaya be removed. But that
colonel was an Ineffable ass who con