ely to have a hot reception when we reach there!" said Colonel
Carter cheerily. "Well, we'll rest here for thirty minutes and give them
a chance to get ready for us. I'm sorry there's no breakfast, men, but
the sepoys will have dinner ready by the time we get there--we'll eat
theirs!"

The chorus of ready laughter had scarcely died away when a horse's
hoof-beats clattered in the distance from the direction of Doonha and a
native cavalryman galloped into view, low-bent above his horse's neck.
The foam from his horse was spattered over him and his lance swung
pointing upward from the sling. On his left side the polished scabbard
rose and fell in time to his horse's movement. He was urging his weary
horse to put out every ounce he had in him. He drew rein, though, when
he reached a turning in the road and saw the resting division in front
of him, and walked his horse forward, patting his sweat-wet neck and
easing him. But as he leaned to finger with the girths an ambushed
sepoy fired at him, and he rammed in his spurs again and rode like a man
possessed.

"This'll be another untrustworthy Mohammedan!" said Colonel Carter in
a pointed undertone, and Bellairs blushed crimson underneath the tan.
"He's ridden through from Jundhra, with torture waiting for him if he
happened to get caught, and no possible reward beyond his pay. Look out
he doesn't spike your guns!"

The trooper rode straight up to Colonel Carter and saluted. He removed
a tiny package from his cheek, where he had carried it so that he might
swallow it at once in case of accident, tore the oil-silk cover from
it and handed it to him without a word, saluting again and leading his
horse away. Colonel Carter unfolded the half-sheet of foreign notepaper
and read:

Dear Colonel Carter:
Your letter just received in which you say that you have blown
up the magazine at Doonha and are marching to Hanadra with a
view to the rescue of Mrs. Bellairs. This is in no sense
intended as a criticism of your action or of your plan, but
circumstances have made it seem advisable for me to transfer
my own headquarters to Hanadra and I am just starting. I must
ask you, please, to wait for me--at a spot as near to where
this overtakes you as can be managed. If Mrs. Bellairs, or
anybody else of ours, is in Hanadra, she--or they--are either
dead by now or else prisoners. And if they are to be