The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-10-18

would suffer If he suffered. las
Afghans did not vent their hate by
halves. She had warned him. She
feared as he feared. Perhaps she
was right
An uproar Of triumphant shouting
from the Afghans swung up out of
the valley. 1t pricked him like. a
spur. He pushed the woman.
"Out of my way!" he shouted.
fiercely. "out OF my way!" He
swung forward.
"Ayesha.." shrilled Nadia. The
other woman. like cat. slipped
across the roof. She vanished down
the roof trap The door of the trap
came down with bang. The Eng
lishman heard the bolts shoot home.
His way was cut off.
1t was clever act on Naida's part,
but In way 1t was also a mistake.
With the rattle of the bolts the last
shred OF hesitation went from the
EnSlfshman. In that desperate act
he saw how desperate must BIO the
situation Of the British force, and he
knew now that he must save 1t. The
coiling fumes of luxury and softness
and drunkenness slipped from his
brain. His body was weak; his
mind. however, was OF astonishing
clarity. He was going to save the
British force and he would need all
his wits to save It,
They stood facing each other still,
the woman and he. The woman was
looking at him; her lids had drooned
over her eyes, but the glitter of the
pupils underneath belied the seduc.
tion Of the glance. He glanced about
him. his movements dull, his mind
keen. He had to warn the British.
How was he to do It?
He turned about slowly and walked
back to the shelter of the silken tent,
bis mind cropping for ideas. Nadia
moved softly. silkenly, by his side.
With shuffling gait he went to the
tent. His foot kicked the jewel;ed
dagger. Nadia bent and lifted It
from before his light-shod feet. She
looked up. laughing, in that graceful
and exquisite pose. But he did not
look at her. He dropped to his
knees on the cushions and his hands
fnmbled awkwardly amidst them.
Nadia knelt by his side, looking at
him.
in a minute he put his left hand
out and held open the silk of the
tent where he had slit 1t. Below him
the fight had quickened and he saw
he had no time to lose. The Afghans
swarmed and rushed at the little
British band. They were menacing
them with furry of dashes. The
battle smoke and dust boiled and
seethed about them until they
looked like demons in the midst OF
hell. Now they were right up to the
retiring force, and their great and
evil knives famed as they rose to
slash. Now they held back, and
blank open space appeared between
them and their victims. The British
moved back steadily. The flare of
their volleys blasted into all rushes
with frigid and godlike zeal. They
we're unbowed and undismayed. A
fine and plucky race-and death was
waiting ready to pounce upon them
at their backs.
All this the Englishman on the
roof saw in a quick-hung glance.
Then Nadia put her hand out and
pulled the silk together.
Away, woman" snarled the Eng.
lishman, and he swore.
"Oh. my master and my lord"
whispered Nadia, ut is not good to
look" She held the silk tight against
his fluttering hands. With a sur
prising effort the Englishman put out
all his strength and pulled. The
whole wall Of silk fell away and
upon them, and the biting sunlight
blazed in.
Nadia uttered low cry and be.
gan to free her head with her left
hand from the clinging folds OF the
tent The Englishman's head was
clear. though the silk enwrapped his
shoulders. He remained passive. He
drew from under the cushions his
right hand. A sword of light started
into the air as his hand came free.
In his fingers shown the FURNISHED
and glittering surface OF Naida's
metal mirror.
The woman was still struggling,
but he did not heed her. He angled
the mirror this way. that way, until
1t caught the full impact of the suns
light. He began to move It jerkily.
but steadily. Flick-flick-flick went
column OF vivid light through the
gap In the trees. over the heads of
the retiring British force.
The man on the roof top had re-
membered he had been a soldier