upon him; and as
he now went on with his guide he had no fear, whatever, of being
detected. He still carried the bundle of rugs on his shoulder.

As they walked round towards the lower gate of the Bala-Hissar,
they met numbers of villagers and townspeople thronging in. These
had waited to hear the issue of the attack before leaving their
homes but, now that the arrival of the plunderers from the
residency, and the cessation of the fire, told of the successful
termination of the assault, they flocked up to join in the
rejoicings over the annihilation of the Kaffirs.

Chapter 14: The Advance Upon Cabul.

Throughout the long hours of the night of the 2nd of September,
while the roll of musketry and the roar of cannon had gone on,
without a moment's pause, just outside the walls of his palace,
Yakoob Khan had made no movement, whatever, to protect his guests
or fulfil his own solemn promises. Silent and sullen, he had sat in
his council chamber.

The disgrace of a broken promise is not one which weighs heavily
upon an Afghan's mind, and it is not probable that the thought of
his tarnished honor troubled him, in the slightest degree; but he
knew that the massacre which was being perpetrated at his door
would be avenged, and that the English troops, which had so easily
beaten the army which his father had spent so many years in
preparing, would be set in movement against Cabul the moment the
news reached India. He cannot but have dreaded the consequences.
But he apparently feared, even more, to incur the hostility of the
Heratee regiment, by interfering to save their victims.

Again and again during the night, his wisest councilors besought
him to call upon the loyal Cabullee regiments to act against the
Heratees, but in vain. It is doubtful whether Yakoob was previously
informed of the intended massacre, but there is strong reason to
believe that he was so. The proofs, however, were not clear and
definite. His conduct cost him his throne, and condemned him to
remain to the end of his life a dishonored pensioner, and
semi-prisoner, in India.

Many eager questions were asked of Will and his companion, as they
made their way down to the gate of the Bala-Hissar. Yossouf took
upon himself to answer them, and they passed through the gate
without the slightest suspicion.

"Which way now?"

"I think it will be safest to go into the city. We might lie hid
for a few days in some deserted hut but, sooner or later, ou