inger-nails. Again the port-fire was applied. The
powder exploded. The noise of the explosion was almost overpowered by
the roaring of the guns and the rushing of the wind. Still, many an
Afghan trembled at the ominous sound. Mighty indeed was the effect.
Down with a crash came heavy masses of masonry and shivered beams in
awful ruin and confusion. Now occurred a slight delay. It had been
agreed that the signal for the storming party should be the bugle-call
"Advance," but the bugler had fallen, and so Durand had to rush back to
the nearest party he could find. At length the signal was given. The
advance was sounded. Colonel Dennie at the head of his brave band
rushed forward through the breach, amid clouds of smoke and dust, and
soon the bayonets of his light companies were crossing the swords of the
enemy, who had rushed down to the point of attack. A few moments of
darkness and confusion, and then the foremost soldiers caught a glimpse
of the morning sky, and pushing gallantly on, were soon established in
the fortress.

Three hearty, animating cheers, so loud and clear that they were heard
throughout the general camp, announced to their excited comrades below
that Dennie and his stormers had entered Ghuznee.

Colonel Sale was pressing on to support Dennie, when, deceived by a
false report that the latter had failed to enter the breach, he halted
his column. There was a pause of painful doubt; but the true state of
affairs was soon ascertained. Again the cheering notes of the bugle
sounded the advance, and the British troops pushed on. But the enemy
had profited by the pause, and numbers crowded to the breach. One of
their number, rushing over the ruins, brought down the gallant Sale by a
cut on the face with his sharp sabre. The Afghan repeated his blow as
his opponent was falling; but the pommel, not the edge of his sword,
this time took effect, though with stunning violence. He lost his
footing, however, in the effort, and both rolled down together amid the
fractured timbers of the gate. Sale now made an effort to master the
weapon of his opponent. He snatched at it, but one of his fingers met
the edge of the sharp blade. He quickly withdrew his wounded hand, and
placed it over that of his adversary, so as to keep fast hold of the
hilt; but the Afghan was active and powerful, and he was himself faint
from loss of blood. Happily, at that moment Captain Kershaw, of the
13th, approached the scene