icular protection of the Socialist Party; and the Government of
India feared to touch the traitors. The excuse given for this leniency was
that any attempt to punish them might be the signal for the long delayed
rising in Lalpuri and Eastern Bengal generally.

A few days after Dermot's return from Simla orders came to him from the
Adjutant General to hand over the command of the detachment to Parker, as
he himself had been appointed extra departmental Political Officer of the
Bhutan Border, with headquarters at Ranga Duar. This released him from the
responsibilities of his military duties and left him free to devote himself
to watching the frontier. He was able to keep in communication with Parker
by means of signal stations established on high peaks near the Fort,
visible from many points in the mountains and the forest; for he carried a
signalling outfit always with him.

Thanks to this precaution the garrison of the outpost was not taken by
surprise when one morning the hills around Ranga Duar were seen to be
covered with masses of armed men, and long lines of troops wound down the
mountain paths. For from the peaks above the pass through which he had once
gone to the Death Place of the elephants, Dermot had looked down upon an
invading force of Chinese regulars supported by levies of Bhutanese from
the interior and a wild mob of masterless Bhuttias from both sides of the
border. He had flashed a warning to Parker in ample time, returned to the
_peelkhana_ and bidden Ramnath hide with Badshah in a concealed spot in the
foothills where he could easily find them, sent the other _mahouts_ and
elephants out of reach of the invaders, and climbed up to the Fort to watch
with his late subaltern the arrival of the enemy.

"Well, Major, it's come our way at last," said Parker as they greeted each
other. "Thanks to your warning we're ready for them. But we are not the
only people who've been expecting them. The wires are cut, the road
blocked, and we are isolated."

"Yes, I know. Many messengers have got through from the enemy; for my
cordon of faithful Bhuttias has disappeared. The members of it have joined
the invaders in the hope of loot." Parker looked up at the hills, black
with descending forms.

"There's a mighty lot of the beggars," he said simply. "Do you remember our
discussing this very happening once and your saying that we weren't equal
to stopping a whole army? What's your advice now?"

"See it out. We're bo