CHAPTER THE TWENTY-SEVENTH
Duty
Three months had passed. The Guides were on their homeward march toHoti-Mardan. They had spent a busy three months in breaking up thenumerous bands formed by rebels who escaped from Delhi. For Delhi hadfallen; the old king was a prisoner; and, though Lucknow still held outagainst Sir Colin Campbell, the back of the Mutiny was broken.
Ahmed rejoined his corps the same day on which he and the little partyin Dr. Craddock's house were relieved. He was with them on those sixsucceeding days when the rebels, disputing every foot of ground againstthe British columns, were finally routed, and the British flag flew onthe palace of the Moguls. Amongst the greater doings of that week, theexploit of the handful of men who defended the doctor's house againstMinghal Khan's horde passed almost unnoticed, save by the persons moreimmediately concerned. Dr. Craddock did not make light of it: he tookcare to bring it to the notice of the officers of the regiments to whichthe men belonged, and they were all mentioned in regimental orders.Ahmed himself was promoted dafadar, to the mingled delight and envy ofSherdil; and Dr. Craddock, before he left to rejoin his daughter inKarnal, presented him with his gold watch as a memento. And when theGuides passed through Karnal on their return march, Mary Craddock didnot fail to thank Ahmed herself for what he had done for her father. Thedoctor, for his part, who had heard from Mary the full story of herrescue, was at his wit's end to know how to show his gratitude. Ahmedwould not accept money from him. Ultimately he accepted a pair of goldbracelets of great value which had belonged to Mrs. Craddock, and whichthe doctor suggested he might present to his wife when he married. Hewas sorely tempted then to reveal his English parentage; but resolved tokeep silence until he knew the fate of Rahmut Khan, of whom he had heardnothing since he left Delhi.
And now the Guides had come within a week's march of Peshawar. They hadcovered the distance from Delhi in very different conditions from thoseof their historic march to the beleaguered city. They left Delhi onDecember 18--that was more than six weeks ago. There had been littlefighting on the way, but news had just come to Captain Daly at hisbivouac just outside Rawal Pindi, that a small convoy was hard pressedby a strong body of mutineers about ten miles distant. The cavalry atonce saddled up and galloped off to the rescue. Dusk was falling whenthey approached the scene of the fight. They walked their horses forsome distance so that they might recover their wind; then, being almostwithin sight of the hamlet into which the convoy had thrown itself, theydashed forward at a hand gallop. Just outside the hamlet they came upona large number of horses, which had been left in charge of a fewmutineers. Hearing the thud of the approaching hoofs, these men fled inhot haste, leaving the led horses to their fate. It was clear that theattack on the hamlet was being made on foot. As the Guides dashed pastthe abandoned horses they stampeded in terror.
The mutineers were endeavouring to force a barricade of carts which theescort of the convoy had thrown across the street, and which was flankedon each side by a house. So sudden was the approach of the Guides thatthe assailants were taken utterly by surprise. Their first instinct wasto rush for their horses, but the Guides barred the way. They scatteredto right and left, seeking refuge in the wild undergrowth that coveredthe surrounding country. Captain Daly ordered Ahmed to take a dozensowars in pursuit, strictly enjoining him to keep the men well in hand,and not to ride far, since night was almost upon them. It was nearlydark when he returned, having accounted for many of the fugitives,though many more had escaped in the gloom.
He had just come within sight of the village when he heard loud shoutsof "Catch him! Catch him!" and saw a horseman galloping across the fieldat his left. He wheeled his horse and set off in pursuit. The fugitivehad a few hundred yards' start, and, riding for his life, sped on at abreakneck pace that took no account of the rough country. Ahmed wasriding his own horse, Ruksh, and was surprised and somewhat nettled tofind that he did not immediately gain on the quarry. Horseman and steedwere well matched: none but a consummately skilful rider would risk sucha pace in the growing darkness. Ahmed warmed to the chase: the fugitivemight be of importance, and he was determined to capture him. There weresounds of others joining in the pursuit when he first set off, but asAhmed rode on with a recklessness equal to the fugitive's, these soundsgradually became fainter and fainter; Ruksh was still the best horse inthe regiment.
On went the two horsemen. Ahmed could just see the fugitive ahead,bending low on the saddle, skirting obstacles in bush and tree. He feltthat for his own credit and that of Ruksh the man must be caught.Patting his horse's head and speaking in his ear, he persuaded the nobleanimal to still greater efforts, and in a few moments saw with joy thatthe gap between himself and the enemy was lessening. Even Ruksh seemedto share his exhilaration; he lifted his head and bounded forward atstill greater speed. Only fifty yards separated pursuer and pursued,when suddenly Ahmed heard a heavy thud; then there was silence; thehoofs of the horse in front no longer rang on the rough ground. Ahmedchecked Ruksh's pace and drew his pistol. A few seconds later he saw adark form on the ground two or three yards ahead. He reined up sharply,and walked his horse forward, keenly on the alert for an ambuscade. Buton drawing nearer he recognized that the form was that of a horse; itlay at the edge of a narrow nullah. And just beyond there was anothermotionless form, without doubt its rider. What had happened was clear.The horseman had come unawares on the nullah; the horse had stumbled andshot its rider over its head.
Ahmed was too good a scout to relax his vigilance; it was needful to bewary in approaching even a thrown man. Pistol in hand, he made a circuitof the prostrate figure. The man lay motionless, his face to the ground.Choosing such a position that the fugitive, if shamming, would have toturn round before he could fire, Ahmed slipped from his horse, whichstood still at the word of command, and moved forward to see who thecaptive might be.
He laid his hand on the man, who made no movement. Then he turned himover, and saw by his long white beard that he was an older man than hehad supposed. Striking a light with flint and steel, for in the dark itwas impossible to see whether the man was dead or merely insensible, hewas amazed to see that his helpless captive was Rahmut Khan. Hastily heunslung his water-bottle, poured some drops between the old chief'slips, and dashed the rest in his face. There was a groan.
"Dog, let me die!" murmured the old man.
"Father, dost thou not know me? It is Ahmed, thy son."
The chief seemed at first too much dazed to understand what was said,but as he regained his senses he gave utterance to a cry of wondermentand delight.
"Is it indeed thee, Ahmed-ji?" he said. "Praise to the Most Merciful! Isupposed it was one of the Feringhi dogs. Praise to Allah! Now thou andI can go together in peace, and do what must be done to thatthrice-accursed reptile, Dilasah Khan."
Ahmed felt a great pity for the old man, ignorant of all that hadhappened to his adopted son during the past year.
"Nay, father," he said tenderly, "it may not be. I am of Lumsden Sahib'sGuides; I was sent to catch thee: needs must I give thee up."
"Of the Guides, sayest thou? Hast thou, then, eaten of the accursedFeringhis' salt?"
"I have indeed eaten of it, my father."
"Hast thou told them that thou art thyself of Feringhi blood?" asked theold man anxiously.
"Nay, father, none knows it save Sherdil, son of Assad, and he has heldhis peace."
"Verily I love thee, my son. But having eaten of the Feringhis' salt,thou must be true to it. I will go back with thee."
Ahmed examined him, to make sure that no bones were broken, then wentback to the nullah to find his horse. Seeing that the beast's knees werefractured, he shot him through the head, then returned and set Rahmut onRuksh. And thus he led him back to camp.
On the way explanations were exchanged. Rahmut had been imprisoned atAgra, and when, at the outbreak of the Mutiny, the town was isolated,all communications being cut off by the rebels, the authorities, fearingan attack on the prison as at Meerut, conveyed all the priso
ners acrossthe Jumna and released them. The chief was on his way back to Shagpurwhen he learnt that Dilasah had made himself master of the place, andthat Ahmed had gone, none knew whither. Incensed at the British, to hisimprisonment by whom he ascribed these misfortunes, he cast in his lotwith the rebels, gathered by sheer force of character a band ofdesperadoes, and led them to Delhi. And then Ahmed told all that hadhappened to him, and the part that Minghal Khan had played. The oldchief was amazed to hear that his son was incarcerated in Minghal'shouse at the very time when he made his attack on it.
"And where is that dog of dogs?" he cried. "Oh, that Allah had given meto slay him with my own hands!"
"I know not," said Ahmed. "When the sahibs saved us at the house, he wasgone. I searched for him among the slain, but saw him not."
"Peradventure I may yet find him, and then shall he receive the duereward of his deeds."
Before they reached the village, they were joined by men of Ahmed'sparty, who had been searching for him in the dark. They took Rahmut withthem to camp, and Ahmed handed him over to Captain Daly when he made hisreport. If the chief had been a mutineer he would no doubt have beenshot at once; but as he had never been in the British service, CaptainDaly decided to take him on to Peshawar for judgment by Sir JohnLawrence. He praised Ahmed for his successful work, and ordered him toplace the prisoner under guard.
A little while afterwards Ahmed returned to his commander's tent andasked to be allowed to speak to him. He was admitted.
"Well, dafadar, what is it?" asked Daly.
"With your good pleasure, sahib, I will now leave the Guides."
"What?"
"I wish to be no longer a Guide, sahib."
"Why, what's the meaning of this nonsense? You can't leave the Guides."
"With your pardon, sahib, I must. The sahib will remember that we of theGuides are always free to leave the sahibs' service if we please. It isone of the conditions."
"That's true; but nobody does it. What's your reason? Are youdissatisfied? You are the youngest dafadar in the corps, and if you goon as you have begun, you'll be a risaldar before I shall."
"I am not dissatisfied, sahib. But Rahmut Khan is my father."
Captain Daly stared.
"That is it, is it?" he said. "I see." He was silent for a few moments,then he said, "Well, dafadar, you can't resign at a minute's notice, andin war-time. We may be attacked any day, and until we reachhead-quarters I consider it your duty to stand by the corps. When we getto head-quarters you can speak of it again."
He watched Ahmed narrowly. The boy's face showed his disappointment,but, as Daly had guessed, the point of honour appealed to him, andthanking the officer, he saluted and went his way.
A week later the corps marched into Peshawar. The whole garrison wasparaded to receive them. Major-General Sir Sidney Cotton, in command ofthe station, ordered a royal salute to be fired in their honour, and thetroops on parade came to the salute as they marched in amid the strainsof the massed bands. The General delivered an eloquent address, speakingof the pride every man felt in the heroic achievements of the corps,which had lost more than half its strength in the work around Delhi, andwhose whole complement of officers had been renewed four times, not oneof them being unwounded. Then he called for three cheers for thewar-worn and ragged warriors, and amid a salvo of artillery andresounding hurrahs the Guides rode at the head of the line and marchedpast the flag.
That night, at the banquet given by Colonel Herbert Edwardes incelebration of the Guides' return, Captain Daly told those about him ofthe strange incident that had lately happened. It made a deep impressionon his audience; every Englishman felt a touch of pride in the spirit ofloyalty which set duty to the corps before ties of kinship. Every onefelt that while England could command the services of men like these,they need have no fear of the permanence of the British raj.
Next day Ahmed and his father were both summoned to attend at theresidence of Sir John Lawrence. General Cotton and the officers of theGuides and others were with him.
Sir John looked very stern as he addressed the old chief, who stood withnatural dignity before him.
"You were taken in arms, Rahmut Khan," he said. "You had no grievanceagainst us; your imprisonment was just. You know what penalty issuffered by those who have acted like you?"
"I know it, Jan Larrens," said the chief.
"Have you anything to say for yourself--any reason why you should notsuffer likewise?"
"None, Jan Larrens. If I were Jan Larrens, and you were Rahmut Khan, Ishould without doubt speak even as you speak."
"Fine old fellow!" said one of the officers quietly to his neighbour.
"And you," said Lawrence, turning to Ahmed--"you are the son of thisman. Have I not seen you before?"
"It is true, sahib; I came here a year ago to beg for my father'srelease, and you refused."
"And then you joined the Guides; why did you do that?"
"You said, sahib, that my petition must be refused. I had no claim onthe British raj. In my mind I said I will do something to win such aclaim. And Sherdil, son of Assad, being my friend, I thought nothingbetter could befall me than to become like him one of Lumsden Sahib'sGuides."
"Ah! You wanted to do something to establish a claim on us. CaptainDaly, what is this man's regimental record?"
Ahmed drew a long breath. He felt the eyes of Jan Larrens and theofficers fixed on him. What would be the end of this?
Captain Daly began to read from a book--his name, the date when heentered the corps, trifling details of his early service which he hadforgotten. Then came a more important matter.
"'First gave information of a fakir tampering with the Mohammedanmembers of the corps.'"
"That was your duty, was it not?" said Lawrence.
"Yes, sahib."
Captain Daly went on--
"'Rescued Dr. Craddock's daughter from a native near Karnal, dashedthrough a half-troop of rebels to bring assistance!'"
"Very meritorious. Still, you thought it your duty?" said Lawrence.
"It is true, sahib."
"'Went into Delhi in disguise,'" pursued the captain, "'at the orders ofLieutenant Hodson. Was the first to bring word of the mutineers' attackon Alipur. Sent other information. Discovered the whereabouts of Dr.Craddock!'"
"Excellent," said Lawrence. "You obeyed orders; other Guides would havedone the same?"
"It is true, sahib."
"'Acted as guide to the second column at the assault of September 14.Took part in the defence of Dr. Craddock's house against the mutineers.Doctor gives high commendation; marked for promotion!'"
"Exceedingly good; but, as far as I can see, all in your duty. You arepromoted, I observe; you have established no special claim upon theGovernment?"
There was a deep silence. The officers watched Ahmed keenly; would henow break through his reticence?
"No, sahib," he said simply.
"'Rawal Pindi,'" read Captain Daly. "'Captured the notorious freebooterRahmut Khan.'"
"Ah! Now we have something," said Lawrence. "But that was your duty,too?"
"Yes, sahib," said Ahmed. "And now if it pleases the hazurs, I willleave the Guides."
"I understand that that is your wish. What is your reason?"
"Rahmut Khan is my father, sahib."
"But your claim; do you give that up?"
"It is my duty, sahib."
A smile went round the group. This was turning the tables on the ChiefCommissioner. But Lawrence's expression did not change. He turned to theold chief, who had stood restlessly at Ahmed's side during thisconversation.
"Rahmut Khan," he said, "what will you do if, for your son's sake, wepardon you?"
The chief's eyes flashed.
"I will go back to Shagpur, my village, Jan Larrens," he said, "andfirst slay that vile son of a dog, Dilasah, and after that I will seekMinghal Khan till I find him, and when I have slain him I shall be readyto die."
The officers smiled again--a smile not of derision, or ev
en amusement,but rather of appreciation of the directness and honesty of the fearlessold chief.
"Well, then," said Lawrence, "we pardon you, on this condition: that yougo back to your village and trouble us no more. And if you keep goodorder, and help to maintain the peace of the frontier, we shall hold youas a friend to the British raj, and that will be for your good. Andnow," he added, turning to Ahmed, "do you still wish to leave theGuides?"
"No, sahib; there is no need." His face was bright with pleasure.
"What would you have done if Daly Sahib had allowed you to resign?"
"Sahib, I should have released my father."
The whole company of officers burst into a chuckling laugh; even SirJohn's stern features relaxed.
"I am glad there is no need for that. Captain Daly, I think this youngman's loyalty to the corps in such circumstances merits recognition.Perhaps you will make a note of his name for the first vacancy in thecommissioned ranks."
He stepped from his seat and held out his hand to the Pathan chief.Rahmut grasped it, hesitated a moment, then said in a voice he withdifficulty controlled--
"Jan Larrens, I have a thing to say. It is meet I say it. These nineyears it has been locked in my heart, but the deeds of Ahmed Khan andthy kindness have proven both as a key. Ahmed Khan is the son of myheart, but not of my body. He is one of yourselves. He is a Feringhi."
And then he told the story of Ahmed from the time he had been snatchedfrom his father's murderers. It was characteristic of the old chiefthat, even though Minghal Khan was his enemy, he did not disclose thefact that it was he who had murdered Mr. Barclay.
"God bless my soul!" ejaculated the astonished Englishman. "What is theboy's name!"
"Barkelay, if that is the Feringhis' way of saying it."
"By George!" ejaculated Colonel Herbert Edwardes. "I knew GeorgeBarclay; so did you, Sir John; in fact, I'm not sure I haven't playedride-a-cock horse with this youngster on my knee. The whirligig oftime!--my word, it's a queer world."
Rahmut Khan was submitted to a searching cross-examination. There was nodoubt about the matter: Sir John Lawrence was convinced that Ahmed wasindeed George Barclay's son. Having made his confession, the old chieffound it difficult to control his emotion as he contemplated the loss ofthe heir upon whom his pride and affection were centred. The officersmeanwhile had grouped themselves about Ahmed, and plied him withquestions, seeking to revive recollections of his childhood.
"What's his real name, I wonder?" said Captain Daly. "Chief, what didBarclay Sahib call the boy?"
"Jorkins," replied Rahmut.
The officers roared.
"Of course!" cried Colonel Edwardes. "Poor Barclay had a mania fornicknames. And by George! what was that nonsense I used to rattle off:it used to amuse the boy's mother--
"There was a little Jorkins, And he had a little pork ins- Ide his little tummy, And bellowed for his mummy, And howled for his daddy, Who caught him drinking madi, And said the nasty toddy Was bad for his little body----"
"How long did that go on, Edwardes?" interrupted some one.
"It never ended; I had to reel off a fresh instalment at every visit.Poor old Barclay!"
Ahmed was dazed at all this and the dim memories which thelong-forgotten doggrel revived. Looking at Edwardes, he fancied heremembered the tall jolly officer, brimming over with jokes, whosevisits were so welcome. But he perceived the distress of Rahmut Khan,and asked permission to take him away.
When the Guides marched to Hoti-Mardan Ahmed was not among them. It hadbeen decided that he should leave almost immediately for England, wherehe would find relatives of his father and mother, and where a smallproperty awaited its owner. He took leave very cordially, yet withregret, of his comrades of the corps. Sherdil hugged the belief thatAhmed's good fortune was due mainly to the coaching he had had when acandidate for the Guides, and begged that his pupil would never forgetit. Rahmut Khan remained for a week in Peshawar, made much of by theBritish officers, who vied with each other in entertaining him. The oldman then set off on his lonely way back to Shagpur. He maintained hiscomposure throughout his farewell interview with Ahmed; but Ahmed knewwhat strength of feeling was masked by his self-control.
A few weeks later Ahmed embarked for England. It had been discoveredthat Dr. Craddock and his daughter were leaving for home, and the doctorwillingly undertook the office of guardian. He had known Ahmed's father;it was the likeness between them which had awakened a vague remembranceof having seen Ahmed before. With these good friends Ahmed Khan left theshores of India, but among the passengers who disembarked at St.Katharine's Docks there was no one of that name; he had becomeaccustomed to hearing himself called Mr. James Barclay.