at once disabled him, though he lived long enough
to be hanged that afternoon. Our first feelings are those of horror
at the enormity of the act--killing a stranger who has never seen or
injured him--but who is worthy of our severer judgment, this young and
ignorant soldier (for he had recently served in the Border Militia),
thirsting for religious fame by a deed of daring, or the Muhammadan
priest who had assiduously taught him that all Feringis were kafirs,
and that to kill one of them, in no matter how dastardly a manner,
was a sure passport to Paradise, and that eternal joys were awaiting
him as the reward of the valour and righteousness of his deed? Here,
at any rate, we see the two extremes--the gentlemanly Afghan from the
mission school, entering with zest and sport into the game of cricket
with the officers, and, so far from feeling any resentment towards
them, ready, if need be, to fight with them shoulder to shoulder in
the common cause of humanity, under the same flag, and defend them
with their own blood from the fanaticism of their fellow-countrymen;
on the other hand, the fanatical tool of the Mullah, who quails before
his ex-cathedra denunciations, but is ready at his suggestion to meet
a bloody death as a martyr in the cause of his religion.

As an example of the former, I might mention Muzaffar Khan, an old
student of the Bannu Mission School, who risked his life to save that
of the Political Officer of the Tochi Valley, with whom he was on
tour. While that officer was viewing a Muhammadan shrine a fanatic
rushed out and ran a dagger into his body; but, quick as thought,
Muzaffar Khan threw himself on the would-be murderer and dragged him
back before he had been able to inflict a fatal wound. The ghazi was
secured and hanged soon after, while the officer recovered, the stab
having just missed a vital part, although it had pierced right through
his body.

Yet, but for the mission school, Muzaffar Khan might have been the
ghazi himself. Race and religion were the same, but their environments
had been different.

CHAPTER XII

AN AFGHAN FOOTBALL TEAM

Native sport--Tent-pegging--A novel game--A football tournament--A
victory for Bannu--Increasing popularity of English games--A
tour through India--Football under difficulties--Welcome
at Hyderabad--An unexpected defeat--Matches at Bombay and
Karachi--Riots in Calcutta--An unprovoked assault--The Calcutta
police-court--