ng in the sunlight.

By this time Rajinder Singh was behind him also; and like a
lightning-streak, his tulwar whizzed through the air, cleaving the
man's head from his body at a blow.

Desmond swung sharply round to find his reinforcements swarming over
the plateau's edge.

"Well struck, Sirdar Sahib!----"

But the sentence was never finished. A puff of smoke from behind a
distant rock, the boom of a jezail, and Desmond fell beside the Boy,
stunned by a well-aimed shot on the edge of the cheek-bone, the slug
glancing off perilously close to the right eye.

A shout of rage went up from his men. "The Captain Sahib,--the Captain
Sahib!" But Rajinder Singh promptly assuming command, bade them turn
upon the Afridi devils and smite their souls to hell; and, forming a
protective ring about their fallen officers, they obeyed with right
goodwill.

The arrival of supports, however, made it clear to the enemy that they
themselves were now heavily outnumbered; and after a desultory
resistance they broke up and fled, the sowars zealously speeding their
departure.

The whole incident had passed in an incredibly short space of time;
and now, with a low cry, Rajinder Singh sank on his knees beside
Desmond, cold fear at his heart, his lean fingers trembling as they
pushed up the watch-strap and pressed the smooth tanned wrist.

"He lives!--_Parmeshwar_[27] be praised;--the Captain Sahib lives!"
the old man murmured ecstatically, shaking his head at the same time
over the wound in the cheek-bone, which had an ugly look.

[27] God.

In Denvil's wrist no flutter of life was left. The Boy's soul had
passed unstained to its account; and the Ressaldar's stern eyes
softened as they rested on the bright, blood-stained hair.

Very gently, as though Denvil were merely asleep, he turned him over
and closed the unseeing eyes. No shadow of pain marred the repose of
the lips. They looked as if they had just left off smiling and meant
very soon to smile again.

The Ressaldar sighed, and shook his head thoughtfully once again.

"Doubtless it was written, ... it was the will of God," he decided,
with the pious stoicism of the East; and thereupon issued immediate
orders to his signallers to open up communication with the main body
of troops in the valley, enumerating casualties, and adding an urgent
request for an ambulance party to be pushed forward at the utmost
speed.

* * * * *

A short stab of pain