m sent round to direct
all detachments upon Mooltan."

"No! is that possible? Is there not perhaps some mistake? How can the
Russians cross the Hindu-Kush?"

"I have myself seen Russian infantry in the gorges of the Indus Valley,
Colonel. The march upon Herat and the occupation of Cabul under General
Ivanov were mainly blinds. Ivanov, with twenty thousand men under his
command, and reinforced by a like number of Afghans, is advancing from
Cabul upon the Khyber Pass. But the main attack will be made from the
Pamirs in the direction of Rawal-Pindi and Lahore."

"Rawal-Pindi?" exclaimed the Colonel. "If the Russians come down the
Indus, they will first of all arrive at Attock, and this strong fortress
will check their advance long enough."

"Let us hope so, but we must not absolutely reckon upon it. The strength
of the Russian army is not at present known to us; but their advance
has evidently been magnificently planned. Their engineers must have done
perfect wonders in the difficult passes of the Hindu-Kush; and these
Russian soldiers are like iron."

"Well," said the Colonel, "we will soon show them that we are of steel."

The adjutant handed over the written instructions, and after having read
them, the Colonel replied--

"To-morrow morning early I start for Mooltan, and expect to arrive there
with my detachment by tomorrow evening. The commissariat and ammunition
columns will, of course, not be able to get there until a few days
later, and then only in part. What in all the world can have possessed
the General not to meet the enemy in Rawal-Pindi? That town is fortified
and surrounded by strong forts; it is one of the greatest depots in
India. Why must the General retire so far back, so far as Mooltan?"

"The General is expecting a decisive battle, and intends for the purpose
to co-operate with the army of General Hunter. But both armies are, at
present, equidistant from Mooltan, and the Russians would, the General
thinks, hesitate to advance so far, from fear of having their left
flank attacked from Lahore. In Lahore there is at present a force of ten
thousand men, which is being reinforced every day from Delhi."

With the departure of the adjutant, who, owing to the exigencies of
duty, was obliged to decline the Colonel's offer of a seat at table, the
luncheon-party broke up, and the Colonel made apologies to his guest for
being unable, under existing circumstances, to devote more time to him.
His officers