Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1904-04-22

AA- O41 sA4NS 'heA@
the captain, who once COM
manded government transport and
wore the ''R. y. r."
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. I'd just come through the en-
emy's lines with dispatches in the At
CHAN war. | was near the British po-
sitiOn when, quite Unexpectedly 10 Us
both. ran plump into Khabeer Khan,
the most dangerous leader In the dis
trict, also alone.
1T was only question of first call.
| got it. The khan surrendered with
out a protest and walked humbly be-
fore me into camp.
1T was a big plume for me, of
course. however little | deserved it,
when early in the evening | handed
over my prisoner and delivered my
dispatches. I'd been twenty hours on
foot and after eating all l could con-
veniently cover | went TO bed in the
tent allotted ME and was asleep in no
time
Heavens. how the fellow shook me
before | dragged my eyes open! And
there stood Quartermain. holding Il
lighted yesta and looking like Il ghost
1t was his first commission. and he was
tHx 10
simply gasped, 'Khabeer Khan has es-
| capedr and stood staring till the vesta
burned his fingers. Then he jumped,
threw it away, lighted another and be-
| gan to stare again.
II didn't care. 1t was rather pleas
ing that l had captured him and
| 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 be pulled out Of
| sleep that way by green Junior lieu
| tenant. and | swore at the youth. You
ask him. He'll admit it in spite Of the
epaulets he wears today. l swore till
| he dropped his second vesta and didn't
dare to light fresh one. What the
deuce ails you anyway asked, com
ing round to wake me up? Do you
think I've got him here under the bed
or will go out again and find him for
you?
HE was meek as a lamb and re-
piled: L didn't come for that. He's
gone for good. l only came to ask a
favor of you for my mother and sis
ter I'm all they've got. You know.
They gave up everything to purchase
| my commission, and at the very start
this beastly fluke will knock me out of
it. God knows l would keep still II |
could suffer alone, but on top Of the
rest to have them buried in shame is
tough. and | thought IL l could explain
it to you you'd let me down easy in
the papers for their sake. This is the
last chance I'll have free. so l had to
wake you up. I'm sorry
"Fd have promised anything, hands
down, to get him away, but the poor
fellow had to rehearse the whole or
collapse. The khan had been ironef.
and put in the two room hut used
as guardhouse, and Quartermain
with four sepoys-for goodness knows
why-detailed as special guard.
Zone Of the sepoys, named Balaya,
confessed that he was relative of
the khan and asked to be relieved. II
was an extremely honorable thing for
him to do, don't you know, for Hin,
doc is bound by every law he knows to
defend relative, even II it includes
the murder of an English officer
Ouartermain understood it and sent
word to the colonel commanding. ask
ing that Balaya be removed. But that
colonel was an ineffable ass who con