more of how he won his V.C. Evelyn could give me
no details when I asked her; and it struck me just now that you were
probably there at the time."

"Yes, indeed, I _was_," he said, with a new ring in his voice. "There
were a few bad minutes when we in the valley felt morally certain we
had seen the last of him."

She turned on him with kindling eyes.

"Oh, tell me--please! Tell me everything. I am soldier enough to
understand."

"I verily believe you are! And, since you wish it, you shall have it
in full. It happened during a rising of the Ghilzais six years ago.
They had given us rather a stiff time of it for some weeks, and on
this occasion a strong body of them had to be dislodged from a height
where they were safely entrenched behind one of their stone sangars,
ready to pick off any of us who should attempt the ascent. But the
thing had to be done, like many other hopeless-looking things, and a
party of infantry and cavalry were detailed for the duty,--a company
of Sikhs, and twenty-five dismounted men of Desmond's squadron, led by
himself. Our main force was stationed in the valley, you understand,
and the advance was covered by three mountain guns. The men were
deployed in an extended line at the foot of the hill, and began a
careful ascent, taking advantage of every scrap of cover available,
the Ghilzais picking them off with deadly certainty whenever they got
the smallest chance. About two-thirds of the way up Alla Dad Khan was
bowled over and lay out in the open dangerously wounded, under the
full brunt of the enemy's fire. In a flash Desmond was out from under
the rock he had just reached. He crossed that open space under a rain
of bullets it made one sick to see, and got the poor fellow up in his
arms. It seemed a sheer impossibility for him to get back under cover
alive, hampered as he was by the wounded man, who--as you know--is a
much bigger fellow than himself. I gave up every shred of hope as I
watched, and one or two of the sowars near me broke down and cried
like children. But if ever I beheld a miracle it was during those few
astounding minutes--the worst I've ever known. His clothes were
riddled with bullets; two of them passed clean through his helmet; yet
except for a flesh wound in the left arm, he was untouched."

Wyndham paused, and the girl drew in a long breath.

"Oh, I can see it all!" she said softly. "But isn't there more?"

"A little more, if you want it."

"Please."

"Well, th