trol the
men if I stay with them, but in that case who shall ride on and
procure intelligence?"

In a flash I saw his meaning. There was none but he wise enough to
ride ahead. But who else could control the men--men who believed
they had sloughed the regiment's honor in a Flanders trench and a
German prison camp? They were sloughing their personal honor that
minute, fraternizing with Turkish prisoners. With their sense of
honor gone, could even Ranjoor Singh control them? Perhaps! But if
Ranjoor Singh rode forward, who should stay behind and stand in his
shoes?

I looked at the stars, that had the color of jewels in them. I
listened to the night birds. I heard the wind soughing--the mules
and horses stamping--the murmur of men's voices. My tongue itched to
say some foolish word, that would have proved me unfit to be trusted
out of sight. But the thought came to me to be still and listen. And
still I remained until he began again.

"If I told the men what the true position is they would grow
desperate," he said. "They would believe the case hopeless."

"They almost believe that now!" said I.

"Have the Turk and Tugendheim been kept apart?" said he.

"Aye," I answered. "They have not had ten words together."

"Good," said he. "Neither Turk nor Tugendheim knows the whole truth,
but if they get together they might concoct a very plausible,
misleading tale."

"They would better have been bound and gagged," said I.

"No," he answered. "If I had bound and gagged them it would have
established sympathy between them, and they would have found some
way of talking nevertheless. Kept apart and let talk, the Turk will
say one thing, Tugendheim another."

"True," said I. "For now the Turk advises plunder to right and left,
and settlement afterward among Armenian villages. He says there are
women to be had for the taking. 'Be a new nation!' says he."

"And what says Tugendheim?" asked Ranjoor Singh.

"'Plunder!'" said I. "'Plunder and push northward into Russia! The
Russians will welcome you,' says he, 'and perhaps accept me into
their secret service!--Plunder the Turks!' says Tugendheim. 'Plunder
the Armenians!' says the Turk."

"I, too, would be all for Russia," he answered, "but it isn't
possible. The coast of the Black Sea, and from the Black Sea down to
the Persian frontier, is held by a very great Turkish army. The main
caravan routes lie to the north of us, and every inch of them is
watched."

"I am glad the