’I，’saidavoice’Iwillgo——butthereisnogoingfromthecamp。’
’Fool！Iknowthatacamelcanbreakhisknee-halter，andthesentriesdonotfireifonegoesinchaseTwenty-fivepoundsandanothertwenty-fivepoundsButthebeastmustbeagoodBisharin；Iwilltakenobaggage-camel。’
Thenthebargainingbegan，andattheendofhalfanhourthefirstdepositwaspaidovertothesheik，whotalkedinlowtonestothedriver。
Dickheardthelattersay：’AlittlewayoutonlyAnybaggage-beastwillserveAmIafooltowastemycattleforablindman？’
’AndthoughIcannotsee’——Dickliftedhisvoicealittle——’yetIcarrythatwhichhassixeyes，andthedriverwillsitbeforemeIfwedonotreachtheEnglishtroopsinthedawnhewillbedead。’
’Butwhere，inGod’sname，arethetroops？’
’UnlessthouknowestletanothermanrideDostthouknow？
Rememberitwillbelifeordeathtothee。’
’Iknow，’saidthedriver，sullenly’StandbackfrommybeastIamgoingtosliphim。’
’NotsoswiftlyGeorge，holdthecamel’sheadamomentIwanttofeelhischeek。’Thehandswanderedoverthehidetilltheyfoundthebrandedhalf-circlethatisthemarkoftheBiharin，thelight-builtriding-camel。
’ThatiswellCutthisonelooseRemembernoblessingofGodcomesonthosewhotrytocheattheblind。’
Themenchuckledbythefiresatthecamel-driver’sdiscomfiture。
Hehadintendedtosubstituteaslow，saddle-galledbaggage-colt。
’Standback！’oneshouted，lashingtheBiharinunderthebellywithaquirtDickobeyedassoonashefeltthenose-stringtighteninhishand，——andacrywentup，’Illaha！Aho！Heisloose。’
WitharoarandagrunttheBiharinrosetohisfeetandplungedforwardtowardthedesert，hisdriverfollowingwithshoutsandlamentation。
GeorgecaughtDick’sarmandhurriedhimstumblingandtrippingpastadisgustedsentrywhowasusedtostampedingcamels。
’What’stherownow？’hecried。
’Everystitchofmykitonthatblasteddromedary，’Dickanswered，afterthemannerofacommonsoldier。
’Goon，andtakecareyourthroat’snotcutoutside——youandyourdromedary’s。’
Theoutcriesceasedwhenthecamelhaddisappearedbehindahillock，andhisdriverhadcalledhimbackandmadehimkneeldown。
’Mountfirst，’saidDickThenclimbingintothesecondseatandgentlyscrewingthepistolmuzzleintothesmallofhiscompanion’sback，’GooninGod’sname，andswiftlyGood-bye，GeorgeRemembermetoMadame，andhaveagoodtimewithyourgirlGetforward，childofthePit！’
Afewminuteslaterhewasshutupinagreatsilence，hardlybrokenbythecreakingofthesaddleandthesoftpadofthetirelessfeetDickadjustedhimselfcomfortablytotherockandpitchofthepace，girthedhisbelttighter，andfeltthedarknessslidepastForanhourhewasconsciousonlyofthesenseofrapidprogress。
’Agoodcamel，’hesaidatlast。
’HewasneverunderfedHeismyownandcleanbred，’thedriverreplied。
’Goon。’
Hisheaddroppedonhischestandhetriedtothink，butthetenorofhisthoughtswasbrokenbecausehewasverysleepyInthehalfdozeinseemedthathewaslearningapunishmenthymnatMrsJennett’s。
HehadcommittedsomecrimeasbadasSabbath-breaking，andshehadlockedhimupinhisbedroomButhecouldneverrepeatmorethanthefirsttwolinesofthehymn——
WhenIsraeloftheLordbelievedOutofthelandofbondagecame。
HesaidthemoverandoverthousandsoftimesThedriverturnedinthesaddletoseeiftherewereanychanceofcapturingtherevolverandendingtherideDickroused，struckhimovertheheadwiththebutt，andstormedhimselfwideawakeSomebodyhiddeninaclumpofcamel-thornshoutedasthecameltoileduprisinggroundAshotwasfired，andthesilenceshutdownagain，bringingthedesiretosleep。
DickcouldthinknolongerHewastootiredandstiffandcrampedtodomorethannoduneasilyfromtimetotime，wakingwithastartandpunchingthedriverwiththepistol。
’Isthereamoon？’heaskeddrowsily。
’Sheisnearhersetting。’
’IwishthatIcouldseeherHaltthecamelAtleastletmehearthedeserttalk。’
ThemanobeyedOutoftheutterstillnesscameonebreathofwindItrattledthedeadleavesofashrubsomedistanceawayandceased。
A
handfulofdryearthdetacheditselffromtheedgeofarailtrenchandcrumbledsoftlytothebottom。
’GoonThenightisverycold。’
ThosewhohavewatchedtillthemorningknowhowthelasthourbeforethelightlengthensitselfintomanyeternitiesItseemedtoDickthathehadneversincethebeginningoforiginaldarknessdoneanythingatallsavejoltthroughtheairOnceinathousandyearshewouldfingerthenailheadsonthesaddle-frontandcountthemallcarefully。
CenturieslaterhewouldshifthisrevolverfromhisrighthandtohisleftandallowtheeasedarmtodropdownathissideFromthesafedistanceofLondonhewaswatchinghimselfthusemployed，——watchingcriticallyYetwheneverheputouthishandtothecanvasthathemightpaintthetawnyyellowdesertundertheglareofthesinkingmoon，theblackshadowofacamelandthetwobowedfiguresatop，thathandheldarevolverandthearmwasnumbedfromwristtocollar-bone。
Moreover，hewasinthedark，andcouldseenocanvasofanykindwhatever。
Thedrivergrunted，andDickwasconsciousofachangeintheair。
’Ismellthedawn，’hewhispered。
’Itishere，andyonderarethetroopsHaveIdonewell？’
Thecamelstretchedoutitsneckandroaredastherecamedownwindthepungentreekofcamelsinthesquare。
’GoonWemustgetthereswiftlyGoon。’
’TheyaremovingintheircampThereissomuchdustthatI
cannotseewhattheydo。’
’AmIinbettercase？Goforward。’
Theycouldhearthehumofvoicesahead，thehowlingandthebubblingofthebeastsandthehoarsecriesofthesoldiersgirthingupfortheday。
Twoorthreeshotswerefired。
’Isthatatus？SurelytheycanseethatIamEnglish，’Dickspokeangrily。
’Nay，itisfromthedesert，’thedriveranswered，coweringinhissaddle。
’Goforward，mychild！Wellitisthatthedawndidnotuncoverusanhourago。’
ThecamelheadedstraightforthecolumnandtheshotsbehindmultipliedThechildrenofthedeserthadarrangedthatmostuncomfortableofsurprises，adawnattackfortheEnglishtroops，andweregettingtheirdistancebysnap-shotsattheonlymovingobjectwithoutthesquare。
’Whatluck！Whatstupendousandimperialluck！’saidDick’It’s“justbeforethebattle，mother。”Oh，Godhasbeenmostgoodtome！
Only’——theagonyofthethoughtmadehimscrewuphiseyesforaninstant——’Maisie。’
’Allahu！Wearein，’saidtheman，ashedroveintotherearguardandthecamelknelt。
’Whothedeuceareyou？Despatchesorwhat？What’sthestrengthoftheenemybehindthatridge？Howdidyougetthrough？’askedadozenvoicesForallanswerDicktookalongbreath，unbuckledhisbelt，andshoutedfromthesaddleatthetopofaweariedanddustyvoice，’Torpenhow！Ohe，Torp！Coo-ee，Tor-pen-how。’
Abeardedmanrakingintheashesofafireforalighttohispipemovedveryswiftlytowardsthatcry，astherearguard，facingabout，begantofireatthepuffsofsmokefromthehillocksaroundGraduallythescatteredwhitecloudletsdrewoutintothelonglinesofbankedwhitethathungheavilyinthestillnessofthedawnbeforetheyturnedoverwave-likeandglidedintothevalleysThesoldiersinthesquarewerecoughingandswearingastheirownsmokeobstructedtheirview，andtheyedgedforwardtogetbeyonditAwoundedcamelleapedtoitsfeetandroaredaloud，thecryendinginabubblinggruntSomeonehadcutitsthroattopreventconfusionThencamethethicksobofamanreceivinghisdeath-woundfromabullet；thenayellofagonyandredoubledfiring。
Therewasnotimetoaskanyquestions。
’Getdown，man！Getdownbehindthecamel！’
’NoPutme，Ipray，intheforefrontofthebattle。’DickturnedhisfacetoTorpenhowandraisedhishandtosethishelmetstraight，but，miscalculatingthedistance，knockeditoffTorpenhowsawthathishairwasgrayonthetemples，andthathisfacewasthefaceofanoldman。
’Comedown，youdamnedfool！Dickie，comeoff！’
AndDickcameobediently，butasatreefalls，pitchingsidewaysfromtheBisharin’ssaddleatTorpenhow’sfeetHisluckhadheldtothelast，eventothecrowningmercyofakindlybulletthroughhishead。
Torpenhowkneltundertheleeofthecamel，withDick’sbodyinhisarms。
TheEndVolumeVIITHESTORYOFTHEGADSBYS
PrefaceToTHEADDRESSOF
CAPTAINJMAFFLIN，DukeofDerry’sPinkHussars。
DEARMAPFLIN，-YouwillrememberthatIwrotethisstoryasanAwfulWarningNonethelessyouhaveseenfittodisregarditandhavefollowedGadsby’sexample-asIbettedyouwouldI
acknowledgethatyoupaidthemoneyatonce，butyouhaveprejudicedthemindofMrsMafflinagainstmyself，forthoughI
amalmosttheonlyrespectablefriendofyourbachelordays，shehasbeendarwazabandtomethroughouttheseasonFurther，shecausedyoutoinvitemetodinnerattheClub，whereyoucalledme“awildassofthedesert。”andwenthomeathalf-pastten，afterdiscoursingfortwentyminutesontheresponsibilitiesofhousekeepingYounowdriveamail-phaetonandsitunderaChurchofEnglandclergymanIamnotangry，JackItisyourkismet，asitwasGaddy’s，andhiskismetwhocanavoid？DonotthinkthatIammovedbyaspiritofrevengeasIwrite，thuspublicly，thatyouandyoualoneareresponsibleforthisbookInotherandmoreexpansivedays，whenyoucouldlookatamagnumwithoutflushingandatacherootwithoutturningwhite，yousuppliedmewithmostofthematerialTakeitbackagain-wouldthatIcouldhavepreservedyourfetterlessspeechinthetelling-takeitback，andbyyourslipperedhearthreadittothelateMissDeercourtShewillnotbeanythemorewillingtoreceivemycards，butshewilladmireyouimmensely，andyou，Ifeelsure，willlovemeYoumayeveninvitemetoanotherverybaddinner-attheClub，which，asyouandyourwifeknow，isasafeneutralgroundfortheentertainmentofwildassesThen，myverydearhypocrite，weshallbequits。
Yoursalways，RUDYARDKIPLING。
PS-OnsecondthoughtsIshouldrecommendyoutokeepthebookawayfromMrsMafflin。
POORDEARMAMMA
Thewildhawktothewind-sweptsky，Thedeertothewholesomewold，Andtheheartofamantotheheartofamaid，Asitwasinthedaysofold。
GypsySong。
SCENE-InteriorofMissMINNIETHREEGAN’SBedroomatSimlaMissTHREEGAN，inwindow-seat，turningoveradrawerfulofthingsMissEMMADEERCOURT，bosom-friend，whohascometospendtheday，sittingonthebed，manipulatingthebodiceofaballroomfrock，andabunchofartificialliliesofthevalleyTime，5：30PMonahotMayafternoon。
MissDEERCOURTAndhesaid：“Ishallneverforgetthisdance。”and，ofcourse，Isaid：“Oh，howcanyoubesosilly！”Doyouthinkhemeantany-thing，dear？
MissTHREEGANExtractinglonglavendersilkstockingfromtherubbish。YouknowhimbetterthanIdo。
MissDOh，dobesympathetic，Minnie！I’msurehedoesAtleastIwouldbesureiihewasn’talwaysridingwiththatodiousMrs。
Hagan。
MissTIsupposesoHowdoesonemanagetodancethroughone’sheelsfirst？Lookatthis-isn’titshameful？Spreadsstocking-heelonopenhandforinspection。
MissDNevermindthat！Youcan’tmenditHelpmewiththishatefulbodiceI’verunthestringso，andI’verunthestringso，andIcan’tmakethefulnesscomerightWherewouldyouputthis？
Wavesliliesofthevalley。