The Argosy, Vol. 76, No. 3 — page 173: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

‘THE BADMASHES OF THE.“ BLOODY BORDER.” “Of all the darned and infernal cheek!’ he exclaimed aloud. “ Those old fossils jolly well think they know every bally thing, but Ill teach them the arm of the military is more far- reaching and more efficacious with these brigands than all the confound- ed tact in the world. Kindness—bah! the natives think it’s a confession of weakness.” , He hurried over to his quarters and summoned his Sikh orderly. ‘ Go tell the subadar I would speak with him at once,” he ordered curtly. The man saluted and hastened to obey, and pres- ently the fierce-looking, black-bearded giant of a native officer stood respect- fully saluting at the door. “Come in, Gurdit Singh!” Andy invited cordially. He had quickly learned that his right-hand man was a most trustworthy and excellent soldier, and he respected his age and experi- ence, as proved by his medals and rank. ‘What news have you of the move- ments of the tribesmen in the hills?” The tall, erect figure looked down keenly at the boyish young face of his commanding officer and there was a smile of contentment. His eyes were those of a hawk, keen and penetrating; his body lean, thin, tall and wiry; and in his mind he had stored knowledge of things dearly. learned that would have made the wisest men in Europe wiser. He was a reader of men and men’s hearts, and from him nothing was hid- den. Generous to even his life with a friend, for an enemy his heart was void of mercy; and his proved courage at sixty was as fresh, as full of dash and spirit, as that of any youngster in the Indian army—nay, of any, army of the world. He had the double and unugual eift of silence and a fluent tongue. In craft he had no master and certainly no equal, and he had learned early in life all the habits and customs of the “ Bloody Border ”’—of those who moved and wrought within its frowning crags and valleys. Into his forty years of army service 642 he had crammed a generation of knowl- edge, and he never ceased to apply it to good advantage and to the tgzat of the regiment, which was to him_ both parent and family. “Many things have I learned, sa- inb,” he answered quietly, with a know- ing chuckle. ‘“‘ And if only part be true, then there is work ahead for you and I, and our men.” “What news have you, subadar?”’ “ The badmashegare up to their evil tricks again, with the starting of the rains.’ Gurdit Singh waved his hand out toward the giant hills which sur- rounded the little fort on all sides. . Look at that country, sahib,” he advised, “and tell me what you see in it—but a playground for such as bad- mashes.” Andy rose from his chair and walked silently over to the door and looked out upon the mountainous country. It was a region of utter desolation, with scarcely a tree to be seen anywhere; it was all rock, rock, rock—of all sizes, shapes and kinds, so that they hid even the earth from view. An occasional coarse, parched tuft of grass dotted here and there among the rocks was alone the faintest ink- ling of vegetation. The mountains ran across and across the countryside in bewildering confu- sion, their crests for the most part— where not covered with snow—black, iron-loaded crags ‘of fantastic shapes, with one side a steep slope of rubble and rocks, the other a smooth surface of glazed mud banking a sheer preci- pice. The sunset alone gave a tinge of color to their somberness, and the mo- notony and desolation were unspeak= able. It is a fitting country for the badmashes, and it is the “ Bloody Border ”’ most undoubtedly. ~ ““ A fine country to hide in, subadar,” Andy answered thoughtfully, when he looked over the hill country, “ yet scarcely easy to cross or undertake mil- itary operations within its confines.” COMicdoo S CO@