RUPERT'S JOURNAL--_Continued_.
_May_ 18, 1907.
The two weeks that have passed have been busy, and may, as time goes on,prove eventful. I really think they have placed me in a differentposition with the Blue Mountaineers--certainly so far as those in thispart of the country are concerned. They are no longer suspicious ofme--which is much; though they have not yet received me into theirconfidence. I suppose this will come in time, but I must not try tohustle them. Already they are willing, so far as I can see, to use me totheir own ends. They accepted the signalling idea very readily, and arequite willing to drill as much as I like. This can be (and I think is,in its way) a pleasure to them. They are born soldiers, every man ofthem; and practice together is only a realization of their own wishes anda further development of their powers. I think I can understand thetrend of their thoughts, and what ideas of public policy lie behind them.In all that we have attempted together as yet they are themselves inabsolute power. It rests with them to carry out any ideas I may suggest,so they do not fear any assumption of power or governance on my part.Thus, so long as they keep secret from me both their ideas of high policyand their immediate intentions, I am powerless to do them ill, and I_may_ be of service should occasion arise. Well, all told, this is much.Already they accept me as an individual, not merely one of the mass. Iam pretty sure that they are satisfied of my personal _bona fides_. Itis policy and not mistrust that hedges me in. Well, policy is a matterof time. They are a splendid people, but if they knew a little more thanthey do they would understand that the wisest of all policies istrust--when it can be given. I must hold myself in check, and never bebetrayed into a harsh thought towards them. Poor souls! with a thousandyears behind them of Turkish aggression, strenuously attempted by bothforce and fraud, no wonder they are suspicious. Likewise every othernation with whom they have ever come in contact--except one, my own--hasdeceived or betrayed them. Anyhow, they are fine soldiers, and beforelong we shall have an army that cannot be ignored. If I can get so thatthey trust me, I shall ask Sir Colin to come out here. He would be asplendid head for their army. His great military knowledge and tacticalskill would come in well. It makes me glow to think of what an army hewould turn out of this splendid material, and one especially adapted forthe style of fighting which would be necessary in this country.
If a mere amateur like myself, who has only had experience of organizingthe wildest kind of savages, has been able to advance or compact theirindividual style of fighting into systematic effort, a great soldier likeMacKelpie will bring them to perfection as a fighting machine. OurHighlanders, when they come out, will foregather with them, asmountaineers always do with each other. Then we shall have a force whichcan hold its own against any odds. I only hope that Rooke will bereturning soon. I want to see those Ingis-Malbron rifles either safelystored in the Castle or, what is better, divided up amongst themountaineers--a thing which will be done at the very earliest moment thatI can accomplish it. I have a conviction that when these men havereceived their arms and ammunition from me they will understand mebetter, and not keep any secrets from me.
All this fortnight when I was not drilling or going about amongst themountaineers, and teaching them the code which I have now got perfected,I was exploring the side of the mountain nearest to here. I could notbear to be still. It is torture to me to be idle in my present conditionof mind regarding my Lady of the Shroud . . . Strange I do not mindmentioning the word to myself now. I used to at first; but thatbitterness has all gone away.