nd
the mine did not explode. It was a thick, dark night, and we were
horribly outnumbered, but the orders were to hold on--we could send for
support if very hard pressed, but we mustn't yield a yard of ground.
It was hot work in front of the trench upon the ridge--they poured into
it at one end, but for a time we stayed as well. Then----"

Walters broke off and looked at his companion with appeal. "I've been
talking too freely; said more than I should have done, in fact. You
had better admit that you don't find all this interesting."

"It wouldn't be true," Mrs. Chudleigh declared, determined not to be
put off. "I'm extremely interested, and you must keep your promise.
Tell me all you can."

He made a gesture of resignation. "Well, there was an order given--in
a white man's voice--and the bugle called us off. Somebody had
ventured to disobey instructions, and after that the fight was over; we
got away as best we could. They rolled over us like a wave as we went
downhill and there were not many of us when we reached the bottom.
Then some Gurkhas came up and held them a bit with the steel, a gun
opened, and somehow the main camp was saved, though our ranks were thin
at the next muster."

"There was an inquiry, of course. Did you give evidence?"

"I had to," said Walters ruefully. "I confined my answers as much as
possible to 'Yes, sir,' and 'No,' but one can make a good deal out of
these if the questions are judiciously framed. The bugler was killed,
so they could learn nothing from him, but Watson was forced to declare
that the order came from near the ravine where Blake should have fired
the mine. After some badgering from the Colonel I had to admit that
that was my opinion. There were other points against Blake and he did
not try to clear himself. It was a very bad business, and I remember
that Challoner broke down after his examination."

"But Blake was not cashiered."

"No; to tell the truth, I think some influence was at work. Colonel
Challoner was known and respected on the frontier and he had powerful
friends, though, of course, that sort of thing is not supposed to
count. Anyhow, the official verdict was, 'Not guilty,' but nobody had
much confidence in it and Blake had to leave us. In spite of
everything, I was sorry for the man and felt that he might have made
things look better if he had tried."

"It was very sad," said Mrs. Chudleigh. "You have my thanks for the
story. I can unders