ity.

"My name," he said, "is Bland. I was with Roberts' column in the
Orange Free State."

"Ah!" I said. "A war correspondent."

"I did the Greek War, too," he said. "A poor affair, very. Looks to me
as if you were going to do better here. But it's a curious situation."

"Very," I said, "and most unpleasant."

"From my point of view," said Bland, "it's most interesting. The usual
thing is for one army to clear out of a town before the other comes
in or else to surrender after a regular siege. But here--"

"I'm afraid," I said, "that our proceedings are frightfully
irregular."

"None the worse for that," said Bland kindly. "But they _are_ a bit
peculiar. I've read up quite a lot of military history and I don't
recollect a single case in which two hostile armies patrolled the
streets of the same city without firing a shot at one another. By the
way, have you been out?"

"Not since this afternoon," I said.

"It would be quite worth your while to take a stroll round," said
Bland. "There's not the slightest risk and you may never have a chance
of seeing anything like it again."

I quite agreed with Bland. The odds are, I suppose, thousands to one
against my ever again seeing two hostile armies walking up and down
opposite sides of the street. I got my hat and we went out together.

We were almost immediately stopped by a body of lancers. Their leader
asked us who we were and where we were going.

"Press correspondents," said Bland, "on our way to the telegraph
office."

This impressed the officer. He allowed us to go on without ordering
his men to impale us. I was glad of this. I am not particularly afraid
of being killed, but I would rather meet my end by a sword cut or a
bullet than by a lance. I should feel like a wild pig if a lancer
speared me. No one could die with dignity and self-respect if he felt
like a wild pig while he was passing away.

"In ordinary wars," said Bland, "the best thing to say is that you
are a doctor attached to the Ambulance Corps. But that's no use here.
These fellows don't want doctors!"

Then we met a party of volunteers. They stopped us too, and challenged
us very sternly. Bland gave his answer. This time it did not prove
wholly satisfactory.

"Protestant or Papist?" said the officer in command.

"Neither," said Bland, "I'm a high caste Brahmin."

Fortunately I recognized the officer's voice. It was Crossan who
commanded this particular regiment. It never was safe, ev