.

Later in the day, Ahmed told the whole story in detail to the group of
officers. The missy sahib had already given them her version of it, and
had indeed sung the praises of the young Guide, and asked Captain Daly
to reward him handsomely. Daly, however, knew that the proud native of
North-west Hindustan is a good deal more sensitive in matters of this
kind than the average man of the plains, and while giving Ahmed
unstinted praise, he refrained from offering any tangible recompense.

"I am proud to have you in the corps," he said. "The matter will not be
forgotten, and when we have finished the march, and have a little time
to rest, I will give you a sheep so that you may feast your friends."

Praise from the sahib was reward enough to the men of the Guides. And
Sherdil, who had heard the story from Ahmed previously, was envious, and
bemoaned his ill-luck in missing the opportunity which had fallen to his
friend.

"May water never flow through that accursed nullah!" he cried. "None of
us were able to leap it; it took me half-an-hour to get my horse out of
it, and the others had to go a great way round about. And then we were
recalled, but we returned later and sought you, and found, not you, but
a dog of a Hindu lying with a cut in his shoulder, and we finished what
you had left undone."

Savagery was in the blood of these men. The butchery of a wounded man
gave them no compunction, and Ahmed, who had grown up among them, was as
ignorant as they themselves of the chivalry which bids an Englishman
spare his beaten foe.

When the evening cool descended, Captain Daly sent the missy sahib under
escort to Karnal, where she would be safe under the protection of Mr. Le
Bas.

It was the morning of the 9th of June when the Guides reached the camp
on the Ridge, two miles north-west of Delhi. They marched in as firm and
light as if they had come but a mile instead of thirty. News of their
great achievement had been brought in by native couriers, and a vast
crowd was assembled to meet these intrepid warriors who had covered five
hundred and eighty miles in twenty-two days. As they reached the lines,
Ahmed was amazed to see some of the infantry break their ranks and rush
up to an English officer distinguished by his very fair hair. They clung
to his stirrups, some kissed his hands, others his feet, pressing upon
him with such excitement as to cause alarm to some of his
fellow-officers.

"What is it?" asked Ahmed of She