re and there, amid
the puffs of smoke that rose and vanished in the blue, a lifted sword
or sabre gleamed like a flash of light.

A number of Afridis forced their way into the camp, lunging at every
tent-rope within reach of their long knives, and in the dim light it
was not easy to distinguish friend from foe. But the first sharp shock
of encounter past, it became evident that the troops were getting the
best of the affair; and the Afridis, whose valour is not always
tempered with discretion, saw fit to beat a rapid retreat up the
valley, hoping to reach the ravine before the cavalry started in
pursuit.

The men in camp, meanwhile, had leisure to breathe freely, after their
rough awakening; to look about and recognise one another, and exchange
cheerful congratulations on the resolute stand made by the Sikhs.

"That you, Desmond?"

The Colonel's voice greeted Desmond as he emerged from his tent where
his servant had been pressing on him a half-cold cup of cocoa; and the
two men faced each other, bareheaded, in shirt and breeches,
unmistakable stains upon their naked blades.

"The Ressaldar's falling in your squadron," Buchanan said briskly.
"Lose no time, and follow 'em up like hell. They'll break away into
the hills, of course. But the chances are they'll concentrate again in
the gorge and try to catch the main body as it passes through. So if
they give you the slip now, ride straight on and secure the defile for
us. I'll send out a detachment of infantry at the double to crown the
heights; and I can safely leave all minor details to your discretion."

"Thank you, sir." And Desmond departed to carry out his orders with
high elation at his heart.

There is no compliment a soldier appreciates more keenly than one
which takes the practical form of leaving details to his own
discretion; and, coming from Buchanan, it was doubly acceptable. For,
in Desmond's opinion, there were few men in the world like the
Colonel, hard and uncommunicative as he was; and it never occurred to
him that his strong, unspoken admiration was returned with interest by
the reserve-ridden Scot.

During the next fifteen minutes he fully justified his sobriquet of
"_Bijli-wallah_ Sahib." Before the Afridis were out of sight a hundred
and sixty sabres, headed by himself and Denvil, dashed along the
rugged pathway in gallant style, the men leaning well forward, and
urging their horses to break-neck speed. But the enemy were well ahead
from th