found Kuhsan as Mr Ferrier had Our space does not permit us found it, "a mass of ruins, of tumble- to follow Mr Yate's account of down walls, the only conspicuous the doings of the Commission in thing about it being a strong fort its winter-quarters at Bala Murwith a high wall, and a deep broad ghab, or of the hardships which moat full of water." In the forty its members had to endure during years that have intervened between the rigorous winter of 1884-85the visits of the two travellers, hardships which appear to have Kuhsan has, however, been built been borne with laudable pluck and rebuilt, the last desolation from the English officer down to having been wrought not longer the native camp-follower. The than two years ago by the Tur- sepoys entered with ardour into koman raiders. Even in Ferrier's the to them-novel experience of time the fortune of the town seems to have been restoration followed by speedy destruction, in steady succession. The name of Kuhsan recalls the memory of the almost total destruction of Ahmed Shah Suddozye in 1752 at Kafir-Kalah near by, and the recollection will probably have suggested to the Commission an anticipation of the climatic experiences on which they were now entering. snow-balling; there was pheasant and duck-shooting; there was the Christmas dinner, at which venison had to take the place of the regulation, while the plum-pudding had come all the way from Teheran; there were scratch-races and native dances; but for all these the time hung heavily enough while waiting on the tardy movements of the Russian Commissioners. Lieutenant Yate was, however, able to utilise the time in collecting notes regarding the country and its inhabitants, of present interest and very probably of still greater future importance. He has been able to throw much light upon the Chahar Aimaks, regarding whom we have hitherto known less than about almost any of the tribes within Afghan territory. There are four divisions of the Chahar Aimak tribes, the Taimuris, Jamshidis, Firuzkuhis, and Taimanis, and the part which these clans may hereafter play in frontier complications must be a matter of anxiety to both the Ameer and ourselves. They are of a Persian stock in the main, speaking Persian, but holding the Sunni persuasion in religion. They hate alike the Afghan and the Turkoman. In their mode of living and their habits they are almost identical with the Turkomans, although they cannot strictly be called nomads. The Firuzkuhis, Sir Peter Lumsden joined the camp at Kuhsan on 19th September 1884, and its members were speedidly dispersed over Badkis, where the tug-of-war for territory was expected with the Russian Commissioners. Sir Peter, with the headquarters of the force, directed his course to Panjdeh, while Colonel Ridgeway, whose section Mr Yate accompanied, struck off at Tutuchi and made for Bala Murghab, via Kushk and Au-shara. At Bala Murghab the two parties united again, General Lumsden having made the round by Pul-i-khishti and Maruchak, while Major Holdich had surveyed the route. Lieutenant Yate's narrative shows us how thoroughly the Badkis region was surveyed, and how fatal to the pretentions of the Russian Commissioners was not merely the topographical and political evidence obtained, but the information elicited from the inhabitants of the country themselves. remarked, like a queen-regnant ly asked, looking at him for a with her ladies-in-waiting in close second, attendance. "Minory, you ought to be the Sleeping Princess,' said little Maud Beaufort. "I'd rather be the Waking Princess, dear, and be able to run about like you." "No," returned the child, "that would not do. You know the Sleeping Princess lay just as you are, and then the Prince comes in and wakes her with a kiss." "It's a pity we have not a Prince handy for you, dear," laughed Mrs Beaufort. "Miss Raymond has only to choose," suggested Sir Piers. 'Any of us here would gladly take the part of the Prince.' 66 her?" 66 are you grateful to I had you to myself." "You must surely have had too much of that at the Heronry." "I wish we were there again, all alone.' "It was very nice then," wistfully, and quite ignoring the dreadful impropriety of her stay there with a solitary bachelor. "Wasn't it! And here, you see, there are such lots of people, I never get you alone. Do you know, I've been thinking over your name, Miss Raymond. It is a very pretty one." "Suitable,' she said, saucily, "for a plain girl." "I don't know about that, he hotly rejoined. "I know it's very suitable for you." Half rising on her elbow, and fixing on him a piercing glance, under which he quailed-" Captain Woolcombe, did you not say it would set off a plain girl?" "So I did," beginning to get a little uncomfortable, "and I say it again; and, par consequence, how much more it must set off a lovely girl! 66 Why, you distinctly said you couldn't imagine-yes, those were your very words a pretty girl going about with such a name. Well, it shows," he stammered heavy rain, and, to the delight of in confusion, "how little I knew about it." "I know you-and-and"Hush! you are going to pay me compliments." "Never! I was going to tell you the real honest truth. But let me know how you came by your name." "Did you ever hear of a place called Minori ?" "No." "Well, there is such a village, and it so happens I was born there. It is quite close to Amalfi." "I'll look it out in the map." "I doubt if you will find it, as it hardly ranks as a town. How ever, there I was born, and I took my name from the place." But "How very interesting! it's my luck over again. Here's Dick!" 66 Yes, here's Dick," said that young scapegrace, sauntering up, not in the least aware how little he was wanted. "I'm come to relieve guard. Kate wants to see you at least she did ten minutes ago-about to-morrow." the men, there was, with the break up of the frost, every prospect of a good time for hunting. But the day itself was hopeless: the state of the roads, to say nothing of the continued showers, kept all but the most enterprising indoors; and as the dull, dark, and cheerless evening fell, the party found themselves assembled in the drawingroom over afternoon tea, with the gloom only broken by the bright flickering of the fire, which leapt and sparkled on the hearth. The several inmates of the Manor House had grouped themselves around Mrs. Beaufort, and the cravings for refreshment having subsided, the question arose as to what was now to be done. 66 "Well, for one thing," cried out Dick, we ought all to be here." "So we are, are we not?" asked Mrs Beaufort. "Not a bit of it," responded' Dick, who was reposing on the easiest chair in the room, with his arms behind his head. "You disgracefully lazy boy, sit up and tell us who the defaulters are," commanded Cicely. "I don't see Trevor and Enid." "You rude boy! what right She'll tell have you to call Miss Masham Enid?" asked Mrs Beaufort. "What about to-morrow?” “Oh, I don't know. you." There was no help for it, and Woolcombe had to retreat, to his disgust-finding out, after all, that Dick had mistaken his message, and that Mrs Beaufort had referred to some one else. That night Woolcombe only caught a hurried word or two with Miss Raymond before she was carried away, but the bright smile she gave him, and the cordial clasp of her little hand, sent him into the smoking-room in a delightful frame of mind, with all the pleasures of anticipation as to what the coming hours might bring forth. The next day broke with Enid dear-the tea must be quite cold?" asked Mrs Beaufort. “Thanks, dear-I like it cold. Mr Woolcombe was showing me a stroke in the billiard-room. "A jolly light to see strokes by," yawned Dick. "You incorrigible little villain," from Harry Jocelyn sotto voce; "can't you let people enjoy themselves their own. way y? Then aloud "It so happens," he pronounced oracularly, "there are some strokes at billiards that always come off best when there's not too much light. "True for you old man," said Trevor good-naturedly, laughing. "Pitch that fellow Dick over the arm of the chair, and make him shut up." Here a diversion was made by Mrs Evesham saying that, as they were all present, it now had to be decided what they should do. Dancing was veteod, because Minory could only just manage to hobble; charades were thought slow; and dumb crambo would not do, for there was not enough audience. Lights were just then brought in, and something like a redistribution of places took place as the tea things were taken away. Mrs Beaufort, however, sat considering, twisting her rings off and on her fingers. "I call you all to witness," called out Tom Beaufort, "that if Kate persists in playing with her rings, and taking them off as she does, she'll some day lose them." "Nonsense, dear! I never lose them. There, see! I take them all off." "What! even your weddingring?" asked Mrs Evesham in horror. "Even so. Look here! there's the lot!" and she gave the sparkling brilliants a little toss in the air, but somehow missed the catch, and two rings fell to the ground. There was an instant search, but only one of the two that had dropped was recovered. "Oh dear!" cried Mrs Beaufort, in real distress, "how foolish of me ! The one missing is my wedding-ring." There was a renewed effort made, and wanderers went all over the carpet, but the ring was not forthcoming, and presumably it had rolled into some remote corner. "No, please don't search any more, said Mrs Beaufort, colouring, however, with annoyance at her peculiar loss: "It's very aggravating, but I've only myself to blame.. Before we go up to dinner we can have another look." "The very thing," said Dick; "the word search made me think of it. Look here! let's have the thought game." "But how is it done?" asked some one. "Oh, easy enough. You place something somewhere, and then the searcher has to look for it." "Rather vague. Why, how ever can he find it?" demanded Jack. "Oh, easily," answered Dick. "We'll hide a thing and blindfold you, and I'll bet you find it." "Of course, if you take him up to it," said Trevor. "I'm not going to take him up to it. I merely go with him to prevent his tumbling over the chairs. You'll see it's all fair." "But," protested Jack, "I must see what it is I am to find." "Of course. Look here! there's this bit of string. You see it?" "I can venture so much. Yes, I see it." "Then we will now blind your eyes. Some one tie a handkerchief tight around his head." This operation being performed, Woolcombe was turned round three times, and stood motionless, while Dick went very gently up to Minory with the string in his hand, which, as he had explained, was tied round a shilling to steady it, and placed this in her left hand, with explicit instructions she was not to open it, or the whole charm would be lost. ence. No one in the room had seen the sort of thing before, so Dick was allowed his own way, and Minory promised implicit obediWoolcombe was then led about, and Dick, pretending to let him guide himself, after several feints in various corners, at last brought his victim up to Miss Raymond. The excitement now became great, and Dick, to control his emotions, was obliged at this juncture to force his handkerchief into his mouth. By judiciously moving Jack about, he made him at last actually touch Minory's left hand, and at once declaring he had succeeded in his search, took the bandage from his eyes, and told him to remove what he had found. Captain Woolcombe gravely, before the eyes of the multitude, unravelled the string, and lo and behold, instead of a shilling there was a wedding-ring! The risible faculties of the audience could not be restrained, but Miss Raymond coloured perceptibly, and Jack bit his moustache, looking round with indignation after Dick, who had, however, swiftly taken himself off. "That wretch Dick! It's my wedding-ring, of course," said Mrs Beaufort. "It really is too bad." But the absurdity of the position presently occurred just as it did to the others, and they heartily joined in the laugh. "I'll trounce Master Dick when I catch him again," said Jack, sotto voce, and with some graveness, to Minory. "He "Please no," she pleaded. is a mere boy. Take no notice." Then turning to Mrs Beaufort"Well, dear, you have your ring?" "Yes," responded Mrs Beaufort, firmly holding it on its proper place with the fingers of the other hand, and regarding her newly found treasure with high regard. "I thought I saw Dick fumbling about on the carpet," remarked Trevor Woolcombe, "when we were looking for the ring. Of course he secreted it then. I must say it is to his credit to have gone through the performance so admirably." "Yes; and fancy his taking us all in with his thought-reading, laughed old Lady Gore. "Well," said Tom Beaufort, "if my wife only learns now the folly of playing with her rings, there'll have been something gained. But I think it's time for us all to be off, and there's the dressing-bell !" As Jack, lingering behind the others, leant, considering, against the old mantel shelf, his brother Trevor came up to to him, and, caressingly placing his hand on his shoulder, softly repeated the old rhyme "I'll tell you a story Of Jack and Minory, And now my story's begun." Then Jack, promptly catching him. by the waist, laughed, and continued the ballad— "I'll tell you another Of Jack and his brother, And now my story's done." "I think, dear, boy, you have arranged your little affair?” 66 Yes, old man; you and I are in the same boat. Wish me joy. Enid has consented to be mine." "All luck to you, my dearest fellow. May similar good fortune be in store for me!" "Of course it is." |