haracter. When the news reached the Punjab that Humayun was dead, other
news arrived. Hemu had recovered Agra and Delhi; he was advancing with a
large army into the Punjab. The Mogul force was very small. The Mogul
officers were in a panic; they advised a retreat into Kabul. Akbar and
Bairam Khan resolved on a battle. The Afghans were routed. The Hindu
general was wounded in the eye and taken prisoner. Bairam Khan bade
Akbar slay the Hindu, and win the title of "champion of the faith."
Akbar drew his sword, but shrunk back. He was as brave as a lion; he
would not hack a wounded prisoner. Bairam Khan had no such sentiment. He
beheaded Hemu with his own sword.

This story marks the contrast between the prince and his guardian. Akbar
was brave and skilful in the field; he was outwardly gracious and
forgiving when the fight was over. Bairam Khan was loyal to the throne;
he slaughtered enemies in cold blood without mercy. It was impossible
that the two should agree. Akbar grew more and more impatient of his
guardian; for years he was self-constrained at Rama. He thought a great
deal, but did nothing; he bided his time.

Within four years Bairam Khan had laid the foundations of the Mogul
empire. Its limits were as yet restricted. The Mogul pale only covered
the Punjab, the northwest provinces, and Oude; it is only extended from
the Indus to the junction of the Jumna and Ganges. On the south it was
bounded by Rajputana. It included the three capitals of Lahore, Delhi,
and Agra. So far it coincided with the kingdom of Ala-ud-din, who
conquered the Deccan and Peninsula.

At the end of the four years Akbar was a young man of eighteen. He
resolved to throw off the authority of his guardian. He carried out his
designs with the artifice of an Asiatic. He pretended that his mother
was sick. He left the camp where Bairam Khan commanded, in order to pay
her a visit. He proclaimed that he had assumed the authority of
Padishah; that no orders were to be obeyed save his own. Bairam Khan was
taken by surprise. Possibly, had he known what was coming, he would have
put Akbar out of the way; but his power was gone. He tried to work upon
the feelings of Abkar; he found that the Padishah was inflexible. He
revolted, but was defeated and forgiven. Akbar offered him any post save
that of minister; he would be minister or nothing. In the end he elected
to go to Mecca, the last refuge for Mussulman statesmen. Everything was
ready for his embarkat