Beforewereachedtheroadthemistblewbackandrevealedawedgeofcountryrightacrosstothehillsbeyondtheriver。Itwasaclearview，everyobjectstandingoutwetandsharpinthelightofmorning。Itshowedthebridgewithhorsemendrawnupacrossit，anditshowed，too，cavalrypicketsmovingalongtheroad。
Theysawusatthesameinstant。Awordwaspasseddowntheroad，ashrillwhistleblew，andthepicketsputtheirhorsesatthebankandstartedacrossthemoor。
’DidInotsaythismistwasfromEblis？’growledHussin，asweswungroundandgallopedbackonourtracks。’ThesecursedZaptiehshaveseenus，andourroadiscut。’
Iwasfortryingthestreamatallcosts，butHussinpointedoutthatitwoulddousnogood。Thecavalrybeyondthebridgewasmovinguptheotherbank。’ThereisapaththroughthehillsthatI
know，butitmustbetravelledonfoot。Ifwecanincreaseourleadandthemistcloaksus，thereisyetachance。’
Itwasawearybusinessploddinguptotheskirtsofthehills。Wehadthepursuitbehindusnow，andthatputanedgeoneverydifficulty。Therewerelongbanksofbrokenscrees，Iremember，wherethesnowslippedinwreathsfromunderourfeet。Greatbouldershadtobecircumvented，andpatchesofbog，wherethestreamsfromthesnowsfirstmadecontactwiththeplains，miredustoourgirths。Happilythemistwasdownagain，butthis，thoughithinderedthechase，lessenedthechancesofHussinfindingthepath。
Hefounditnevertheless。Therewasthegullyandtheroughmule—trackleadingupwards。Buttherealsohadbeenalandslip，quiterecentfromthemarks。Alargescarofrawearthhadbrokenacrossthehillside，whichwiththesnowaboveitlookedlikeaslicecutoutofanicedchocolate—cake。
Westaredblanklyforasecond，tillwerecognizeditshopelessness。
’I’mtryingforthecrags，’Isaid。’Wherethereoncewasawayanothercanbefound。’
’Andbepickedoffattheirleisurebythesemarksmen，’saidHussingrimly。’Look！’
Themisthadopenedagain，andaglancebehindshowedmethepursuitclosinguponus。Theywerenowlessthanthreehundredyardsoff。Weturnedourhorsesandmadeoffeast—wardalongtheskirtsofthecliffs。
ThenSandyspokeforthefirsttime。’Idon’tknowhowyoufellowsfeel，butI’mnotgoingtobetaken。There’snothingmuchtodoexcepttofindaplaceandputupafight。Wecansellourlivesdearly。’
’That’saboutall，’saidBlenkironcheerfully。Hehadsufferedsuchtorturesonthatgallopthathewelcomedanykindofstationaryfight。
’Serveoutthearms，’saidSandy。
TheCompanionsallcarriedriflesslungacrosstheirshoulders。
Hussin，fromadeepsaddle—bag，broughtoutriflesandbandoliersfortherestofus。AsIlaidmineacrossmysaddle—bowIsawitwasaGermanMauserofthelatestpattern。
’It’shell—for—leathertillwefindaplaceforastand，’saidSandy。
’Thegame’sagainstusthistime。’
Oncemoreweenteredthemist，andpresentlyfoundbettergoingonalongstretchofevenslope。Thencamearise，andonthecrestofitIsawthesun。Presentlywedippedintobrightdaylightandlookeddownonabroadglen，witharoadwindingupittoapassintherange。Ihadexpectedthis。ItwasonewaytothePalantukenpass，somemilessouthofthehousewherewehadbeenlodged。
Andthen，asIlookedsouthward，IsawwhatIhadbeenwatchingforfordays。Alittlehillsplitthevalley，andonitstopwasa_kranzofrocks。Itwasthe_castrolofmypersistentdream。
OnthatIpromptlytookcharge。’There’sourfort，’Icried。’Ifweoncegettherewecanholditforaweek。Sitdownandrideforit。’
Webucketeddownthathillsidelikemenpossessed，evenBlenkironstickingonmanfullyamongthetwistsandturnsandslithers。
Presentlywewereontheroadandwereracingpastmarchinginfantryandgunteamsandemptywagons。Inotedthatmostseemedtobemovingdownwardandfewgoingup。HussinscreamedsomewordsinTurkishthatsecuredusapassage，butindeedourcrazyspeedleftthemstaring。OutofacornerofmyeyeIsawthatSandyhadflungoffmostofhiswrappingsandseemedtobealladazzleofrichcolour。ButIhadthoughtfornothingexceptthelittlehill，nowalmostfrontingusacrosstheshallowglen。
Nohorsescouldbreastthatsteep。Weurgedthemintothehollow，andthenhastilydismounted，humpedthepacks，andbegantostruggleupthesideofthe_castrol。Itwasstrewnwithgreatboulders，whichgaveakindofcoverthatverysoonwasneeded。
For，snatchingaglanceback，Isawthatourpursuerswereontheroadaboveusandweregettingreadytoshoot。
Atnormaltimeswewouldhavebeeneasymarks，but，fortunately，wispsandstreamersofmistnowclungaboutthathollow。
Therestcouldfendforthemselves，soIstucktoBlenkironanddraggedhim，whollybreathless，bytheleastexposedroute。Bulletsspatterednowandthenagainsttherocks，andonesangunpleasantlynearmyhead。Inthiswaywecoveredthree—fourthsofthedistance，andhadonlythebaredozenyardswherethegradienteasedoffuptotheedgeofthe_kranz。
Blenkirongothitintheleg，ouronlycasualty。Therewasnothingforitbuttocarryhim，soIswunghimonmyshoulders，andwithaburstingheartdidthatlastlap。Itwashottishwork，andthebulletswereprettythickaboutus，butweallgotsafelytothe_kranz，andashortscrambletookusovertheedge。IlaidBlenkironinsidethe_castrolandstartedtoprepareourdefence。
Wehadlittletimetodoit。Outofthethinfogfigureswerecoming，crouchingincover。Theplacewewereinwasanaturalredoubt，exceptthattherewerenoloopholesorsandbags。Wehadtoshowourheadsovertherimtoshoot，butthedangerwaslessenedbythesuperbfieldoffiregivenbythoselastdozenyardsofglacis。Ipostedthemenandwaited，andBlenkiron，withawhiteface，insistedontakinghisshare，announcingthatheusedtobehandywithagun。
Igavetheorderthatnomanwastoshoottilltheenemyhadcomeoutoftherocksontotheglacis。Thethingranrightroundthetop，andwehadtowatchallsidestopreventthemgettingusinflankorrear。Hussin’sriflecrackedoutpresentlyfromtheback，somyprecautionshadnotbeenneedless。
Wewereallthreefairshots，thoughnoneofusuptoPeter’smiraculousstandard，andtheCompanions，too，madegoodpractice。
TheMauserwastheweaponIknewbest，andIdidn’tmissmuch。
Theattackersneverhadachance，fortheironlyhopewastorushusbynumbers，and，thewholepartybeingnotabovetwodozen，theywerefartoofew。Ithinkwekilledthree，fortheirbodieswereleftlying，andwoundedatleastsix，whiletherestfellbacktowardstheroad。Inaquarterofanhouritwasallover。
’TheyaredogsofKurds，’IheardHussinsayfiercely。’OnlyaKurdish_giaourwouldfireontheliveryoftheKaaba。’
ThenIhadagoodlookatSandy。Hehaddiscardedshawlsandwrappings，andstoodupinthestrangestcostumemaneverworeinbattle。Somehowhehadprocuredfield—bootsandanoldpairofriding—breeches。Abovethese，reachingwellbelowhismiddle，hehadawonderfulsilkenjibbahorephodofabrightemerald。Icalitsilk，butitwaslikenosilkIhaveeverknown，soexquisiteinthemesh，withsuchasheenanddepthinit。Somestrangepatternwaswovenonthebreast，whichinthedimlightIcouldnottrace。I’llwarrantnorarerorcostliergarmentwaseverexposedtoleadonableakwinterhill。
Sandyseemedunconsciousofhisgarb。Hiseye，listlessnomore，scannedthehollow。’That’sonlytheoverture，’hecried。’Theoperawillsoonbegin。Wemustputabreastworkupinthesegapsorthey’llpickusofffromathousandyards。’
IhadmeantimeroughlydressedBlenkiron’swoundwithalinenragwhichHussinprovided。Itwasfromaricochetbulletwhichhadchippedintohisleftshin。ThenItookahandwiththeothersingettingupearthworkstocompletethecircuitofthedefence。Itwasnoeasyjob，forwewroughtonlywithourknivesandhadtodigdeepdownbelowthesnowygravel。AsweworkedItookstockofourrefuge。
The_castrolwasaroughcircleabouttenyardsindiameter，itsinteriorfilledwithbouldersandloosestones，anditsparapetaboutfourfeethigh。Themisthadclearedforaconsiderablespace，andI
couldseetheimmediatesurroundings。West，beyondthehollow，wastheroadwehadcome，wherenowtheremnantsofthepursuitwereclustered。North，thehillfellsteeplytothevalleybottom，buttothesouth，afteradiptherewasaridgewhichshuttheview。Eastlayanotherforkofthestream，thechiefforkIguessed，anditwasevidentlyfollowedbythemainroadtothepass，forIsawitcrowdedwithtransport。Thetworoadsseemedtoconvergesomewherefarthersouthofmysight。
Iguessedwecouldnotbeveryfarfromthefront，forthenoiseofgunssoundedverynear，boththesharpcrackofthefield—pieces，andthedeeperboomofthehowitzers。More，Icouldhearthechatterofthemachine—guns，amagpienoteamongthebayingofhounds。IevensawtheburstingofRussianshells，evidentlytryingtoreachthemainroad。Onebigfellow—aneight—inch—landednottenyardsfromaconvoytotheeastofus，andanotherinthehollowthroughwhichwehadcome。Thesewereclearlyrangingshots，andIwonderediftheRussianshadobservation—postsontheheightstomarkthem。Ifso，theymightsoontryacurtain，andweshouldbeverynearitsedge。Itwouldbeanoddironyifwewerethetargetoffriendlyshells。
’BytheLordHarry，’IheardSandysay，’ifwehadabraceofmachine—gunswecouldholdthisplaceagainstadivision。’
’Whatpriceshells？’Iasked。’Iftheygetagunuptheycanblowustoatomsintenminutes。’
’PleaseGodtheRussianskeepthemtoobusyforthat，’washisanswer。
WithanxiouseyesIwatchedourenemiesontheroad。Theyseemedtohavegrowninnumbers。Theyweresignalling，too，forawhiteflagfluttered。Thenthemistrolleddownonusagain，andourprospectwaslimitedtotenyardsofvapour。
’Steady，’Icried;’theymaytrytorushusatanymoment。Everymankeephiseyeontheedgeofthefog，andshootatthefirstsign。’
Fornearlyhalfanhourbymywatchwewaitedinthatqueerwhiteworld，oureyessmartingwiththestrainofpeering。Thesoundofthegunsseemedtobehushed，andeverythinggrowndeathlyquiet。Blenkiron’ssqueal，asheknockedhiswoundedlegagainstarock，madeeverymanstart。
Thenoutofthemisttherecameavoice。
Itwasawoman’svoice，high，penetrating，andsweet，butitspokeinnotongueIknew。OnlySandyunderstood。Hemadeasuddenmovementasiftodefendhimselfagainstablow。
Thespeakercameintoclearsightontheglacisayardortwoaway。Minewasthefirstfaceshesaw。
’Icometoofferterms，’shesaidinEnglish。’Willyoupermitmetoenter？’
Icoulddonothingexcepttakeoffmycapandsay，’Yes，ma’am。’
Blenkiron，snuggledupagainsttheparapet，wascursingfuriouslybelowhisbreath。
Sheclimbedupthe_kranzandsteppedovertheedgeaslightlyasadeer。Herclotheswerestrange—spurredbootsandbreechesoverwhichfellashortgreenkirtle。Alittlecapskeweredwithajewelledpinwasonherhead，andacapeofsomecoarsecountryclothhungfromhershoulders。Shehadroughgauntletsonherhands，andshecarriedforweaponariding—whip。Thefog—crystalsclungtoherhair，Iremember，andasilveryfilmoffoglayonhergarments。
Ihadneverbeforethoughtofherasbeautiful。Strange，uncanny，wonderful，ifyoulike，butthewordbeautyhadtookindlyandhumanasoundforsuchaface。Butasshestoodwithheightenedcolour，hereyeslikestars，herpoiselikeawildbird’s，Ihadtoconfessthatshehadherownloveliness。Shemightbeadevil，butshewasalsoaqueen。IconsideredthattheremightbemeritsintheprospectofridingbyhersideintoJerusalem。
Sandystoodrigid，hisfaceverygraveandset。Sheheldoutbothhandstohim，speakingsoftlyinTurkish。InoticedthatthesixCompanionshaddisappearedfromthe_castrolandweresomewhereoutofsightonthefartherside。
Idonotknowwhatshesaid，butfromhertone，andaboveallfromhereyes，Ijudgedthatshewaspleading—pleadingforhisreturn，forhispartnershipinhergreatadventure;pleading，forallI
knew，forhislove。
Hisexpressionwaslikeadeath—mask，hisbrowsdrawntightinalittlefrownandhisjawrigid。
’Madam，’hesaid，’IaskyoutotellyourbusinessquickandtotellitinEnglish。Myfriendsmusthearitaswellasme。’
’Yourfriends！’shecried。’Whathasaprincetodowiththesehirelings？Yourslaves，perhaps，butnotyourfriends。’
’Myfriends，’Sandyrepeatedgrimly。’Youmustknow，Madam，thatIamaBritishofficer。’
Thatwasbeyonddoubtacleanstaggeringstroke。WhatshehadthoughtofhisoriginGodknows，butshehadneverdreamedofthis。Hereyesgrewlargerandmorelustrous，herlipspartedasiftospeak，buthervoicefailedher。Thenbyaneffortsherecoveredherself，andoutofthatstrangefacewentalltheglowofyouthandardour。ItwasagaintheunholymaskIhadfirstknown。
’Andtheseothers？’sheaskedinalevelvoice。
’Oneisabrotherofficerofmyregiment。TheotherisanAmericanfriend。Butallthreeofusareonthesameerrand。WecameeasttodestroyGreenmantleandyourdevilishambitions。Youhaveyourselfdestroyedyourprophets，andnowitisyourturntofailanddisappear。Makenomistake，Madam;thatfollyisover。Iwilltearthissacredgarmentintoathousandpiecesandscatterthemonthewind。Thepeoplewaittodayfortherevelation，butnonewillcome。Youmaykillusifyoucan，butwehaveatleastcrushedalieanddoneservicetoourcountry。’
Iwouldnothavetakenmyeyesfromherfaceforaking’sransom。Ihavewrittenthatshewasaqueen，andofthatthereisnomannerofdoubt。Shehadthesoulofaconqueror，fornotaflickerofweaknessordisappointmentmarredherair。Onlyprideandthestateliestresolutionlookedoutofhereyes。
’IsaidIcametoofferterms。Iwillstillofferthem，thoughtheyareotherthanIthought。ForthefatAmerican，Iwillsendhimhomesafelytohisowncountry。Idonotmakewaronsuchashe。
HeisGermany’sfoe，notmine。You，’shesaid，turningfiercelyonme，’Iwillhangbeforedusk。’
NeverinmylifehadIbeensopleased。Ihadgotmyrevengeatlast。Thiswomanhadsingledmeoutabovetheothersastheobjectofherwrath，andIalmostlovedherforit。
SheturnedtoSandy，andthefiercenesswentoutofherface。
’Youseekthetruth，’shesaid。’SoalsodoI，andifweusealieitisonlytobreakdownagreater。Youareofmyhouseholdinspirit，andyoualoneofallmenIhaveseenarefittoridewithmeonmymission。Germanymayfail，butIshallnotfail。Iofferyouthegreatestcareerthatmortalhasknown。Iofferyouataskwhichwillneedeveryatomofbrainandsinewandcourage。Willyourefusethatdestiny？’
Idonotknowwhateffectthisvapouringmighthavehadinhotscentedrooms，orinthelanguorofsomerichgarden;butuponthatcoldhill—topitwasasunsubstantialasthemistaroundus。Itsoundednotevenimpressive，onlycrazy。
’Istaywithmyfriends，’saidSandy。
’ThenIwilloffermore。Iwillsaveyourfriends。They，too，shallshareinmytriumph。’
ThiswastoomuchforBlenkiron。Hescrambledtohisfeettospeaktheprotestthathadbeenwrungfromhissoul，forgothisgameleg，androlledbackonthegroundwithagroan。
Thensheseemedtomakealastappeal。ShespokeinTurkishnow，andIdonotknowwhatshesaid，butIjudgeditwasthepleaofawomantoherlover。Oncemoreshewastheproudbeauty，buttherewasatremorinherpride—Ihadalmostwrittentenderness。
Tolistentoherwaslikehorridtreachery，likeeavesdroppingonsomethingpitiful。IknowmycheeksgrewscarletandBlenkironturnedawayhishead。
Sandy’sfacedidnotmove。HespokeinEnglish。
’YoucanoffermenothingthatIdesire，’hesaid。’Iamtheservantofmycountry，andherenemiesaremine。Icanhaveneitherpartnorlotwithyou。Thatismyanswer，MadamvonEinem。’
Thenhersteelyrestraintbroke。Itwaslikeadamgivingbeforeapent—upmassoficywater。Shetoreoffoneofhergauntletsandhurleditinhisface。Implacablehatelookedoutofhereyes。
’Ihavedonewithyou，’shecried。’Youhavescornedme，butyouhavedugyourowngrave。’
Sheleapedontheparapetandthenextsecondwasontheglacis。
Oncemorethemisthadfled，andacrossthehollowIsawafield—guninplaceandmenarounditwhowerenotTurkish。Shewavedherhandtothem，andhasteneddownthehillside。
ButatthatmomentIheardthewhistleofalong—rangeRussianshell。Amongtheboulderstherewasthedullshockofanexplosionandamushroomofredearth。Itallpassedinaninstantoftime:I
sawthegunnersontheroadpointtheirhandsandIheardthemcry;Iheardtoo，akindofsobfromBlenkiron—allthisbeforeI
realizedmyselfwhathadhappened。ThenextthingIsawwasSandy，alreadybeyondtheglacis，leapingwithgreatboundsdownthehill。Theywereshootingathim，butheheededthemnot。Forthespaceofaminutehewasoutofsight，andhiswhereaboutswasshownonlybythepatterofbullets。
Thenhecameback—walkingquiteslowlyupthelastslope，andhewascarryingsomethinginhisarms。Theenemyfirednomore;
theyrealizedwhathadhappened。
Helaidhisburdendowngentlyinacornerofthe_castrol。Thecaphadfallenoff，andthehairwasbreakingloose。Thefacewasverywhitebuttherewasnowoundorbruiseonit。
’Shewaskilledatonce，’Iheardhimsaying。’Herbackwasbrokenbyashell—fragment。Dick，wemustburyherhere……Yousee，she……shelikedme。Icanmakehernoreturnbutthis。’
WesettheCompanionstoguard，andwithinfiniteslowness，usingourhandsandourknives，wemadeashallowgravebelowtheeasternparapet。WhenitwasdonewecoveredherfacewiththelinencloakwhichSandyhadwornthatmorning。Heliftedthebodyandlaiditreverentlyinitsplace。
’Ididnotknowthatanythingcouldbesolight，’hesaid。
Itwasn’tformetolookonatthatkindofscene。IwenttotheparapetwithBlenkiron’sfield—glassesandhadastareatourfriendsontheroad。TherewasnoTurkthere，andIguessedwhy，foritwouldnotbeeasytousethemenofIslamagainstthewearerofthegreenephod。TheenemywereGermanorAustrian，andtheyhadafield—gun。Theyseemedtohavegotitlaidonourfort;buttheywerewaiting。AsIlookedIsawbehindthemamassivefigureIseemedtorecognize。Stummhadcometoseethedestructionofhisenemies。
TotheeastIsawanotherguninthefieldsjustbelowthemainroad。Theyhadgotusonbothsides，andtherewasnowayofescape。HildavonEinemwastohaveanoblepyreandgoodlycompanyforthedarkjourney。
Duskwasfallingnow，aclearbrightduskwherethestarsprickedthroughasheenofamethyst。Theartillerywerebusyallaroundthehorizon，andtowardsthepassontheotherroad，whereFortPalantukenstood，therewasthedustandsmokeofafuriousbombardment。
Itseemedtome，too，thatthegunsontheotherfrontshadcomenearer。DeveBoyunwashiddenbyaspurofhill，butupinthenorth，whiteclouds，likethestreamersofevening，werehangingovertheEuphratesglen。Thewholefirmamenthummedandtwangedlikeatautstringthathasbeenstruck……
AsIlooked，theguntothewestfired—thegunwhereStummwas。Theshelldroppedtenyardstoourright。Asecondlateranotherfellbehindus。
Blenkironhaddraggedhimselftotheparapet。Idon’tsupposehehadeverbeenshelledbefore，buthisfaceshowedcuriosityratherthanfear。
’Prettypoorshooting，Ireckon，’hesaid。
’Onthecontrary，’Isaid，’theyknowtheirbusiness。They’rebracketing……’
Thewordswerenotoutofmymouthwhenonefellrightamongus。Itstruckthefarrimofthe_castrol，shatteringtherock，butburstingmainlyoutside。Weallducked，andbarringsomesmallscratchesnoonewasapennytheworse。IrememberthatmuchofthedebrisfellonHildavonEinem’sgrave。
IpulledBlenkironoverthefarparapet，andcalledontheresttofollow，meaningtotakecoverontheroughsideofthehill。Butasweshowedourselvesshotsrangoutfromourfront，shotsfiredfromarangeofafewhundredyards。Itwaseasytoseewhathadhappened。Riflemenhadbeensenttoholdusinrear。Theywouldnotassaultsolongasweremainedinthe_castrol，buttheywouldblockanyattempttofindsafetyoutsideit。Stummandhisgunhadusattheirmercy。
Wecrouchedbelowtheparapetagain。’Wemayaswelltossforit，’Isaid。’There’sonlytwoways—tostayhereandbeshelledortrytobreakthroughthosefellowsbehind。Either’sprettyunhealthy。’
ButIknewtherewasnochoice。WithBlenkironcrippledwewerepinnedtothe_castrol。Ournumberswereupallright。
CHAPTERTWENTY—TWO
TheGunsoftheNorthButnomoreshellsfell。
Thenightgrewdarkandshowedafieldofglitteringstars，fortheairwassharpeningagaintowardsfrost。Wewaitedforanhour，crouchingjustbehindthefarparapets，butnevercamethatominousfamiliarwhistle。
ThenSandyroseandstretchedhimself。’I’mhungry，’hesaid。
’Let’shaveoutthefood，Hussin。We’veeatennothingsincebeforedaybreak。Iwonderwhatisthemeaningofthisrespite？’
IfanciedIknew。
’It’sStumm’sway，’Isaid。’Hewantstotortureus。He’llkeepushoursontenterhooks，whilehesitsoveryonderexultinginwhathethinkswe’reenduring。Hehasjustenoughimaginationforthat……
Hewouldrushusifhehadthemen。Asitis，he’sgoingtoblowustopieces，butdoitslowlyandsmackhislipsoverit。’
Sandyyawned。’We’lldisappointhim，forwewon’tbeworried，oldman。Wethreearebeyondthatkindoffear。’
’Meanwhilewe’regoingtodothebestwecan，’Isaid。’He’sgottheexactrangeforhiswhizz—bangs。We’vegottofindaholesomewherejustoutsidethe_castrol，andsomesortofhead—cover。We’reboundtogetdamagedwhateverhappens，butwe’llstickitouttotheend。Whentheythinktheyhavefinishedwithusandrushtheplace，theremaybeoneofusalivetoputabulletthrougholdStumm。Whatdoyousay？’
Theyagreed，andafterourmealSandyandIcrawledouttoprospect，leavingtheothersonguardincasethereshouldbeanattack。Wefoundahollowintheglacisalittlesouthofthe_castrol，and，workingveryquietly，managedtoenlargeitandcutakindofshallowcaveinthehill。Itwouldbenouseagainstadirecthit，butitwouldgivesomecoverfromflyingfragments。AsIreadthesituation，Stummcouldlandasmanyshellsashepleasedinthe_castrolandwouldn’tbothertoattendtotheflanks。Whenthebadshellingbegantherewouldbeshelterforoneortwointhecave。
Ourenemieswerewatchful。TheriflemenontheeastburntVeryflaresatintervals，andStumm’slotsentupagreatstar—rocket。I
rememberthatjustbeforemidnighthellbrokelooseroundFortPalantuken。NomoreRussianshellscameintoourhollow，butalltheroadtotheeastwasunderfire，andattheFortitselftherewasashatteringexplosionandaqueerscarletglowwhichlookedasifamagazinehadbeenhit。Forabouttwohoursthefiringwasintense，andthenitdieddown。ButitwastowardsthenorththatIkeptturningmyhead。Thereseemedtobesomethingdifferentinthesoundthere，somethingsharperinthereportoftheguns，asifshellsweredroppinginanarrowvalleywhoserockwallsdoubledtheecho。HadtheRussiansbyanyblessedchanceworkedroundthatflank？
IgotSandytolisten，butheshookhishead。’Thosegunsareadozenmilesoff，’hesaid。’They’renonearerthanthreedaysago。Butitlooksasifthesportsmenonthesouthmighthaveachance。Whentheybreakthroughandstreamdownthevalley，they’llbepuzzledtoaccountforwhatremainsofus……We’renolongerthreeadventurersintheenemy’scountry。We’retheadvanceguardoftheAllies。Ourpalsdon’tknowaboutus，andwe’regoingtobecutoff，whichhashappenedtoadvanceguardsbeforenow。Butallthesame，we’reinourownbattle—lineagain。Doesn’tthatcheeryou，Dick？’
Itcheeredmewonderfully，forIknewnowwhathadbeentheweightonmyhearteversinceIacceptedSirWalter’smission。Itwasthelonelinessofit。Iwasfightingfarawayfrommyfriends，farawayfromthetruefrontsofbattle。Itwasaside—showwhich，whateveritsimportance，hadnoneoftheexhilarationofthemaineffort。Butnowwehadcomebacktofamiliarground。WewereliketheHighlanderscutoffatCiteStAugusteonthefirstdayofLoos，orthoseScotsGuardsatFestubertofwhomIhadheard。