HODSON'S BEST MAN.

Waikato Argus, Volume VII, Issue 515, 18 November 1899, Page 1 (Supplement)

HODSON'S BEST MAN.

orijt' gtounteUct*.

'"hf. Plymouth express was realh fining her level ticst on her way to intercept the P. and 0. bosil outward bound for Kurachi and Bom-

Uut it Mas much too slow f >r one of her passengers, and as much too fast for another who shared the carriage with him, and helped to litter it with the multifarious articles which go to make up the kit of the British officer on foreign service.

Too slow for George Smyth, who longed to got the journey over and find hiimelf hack, among the little lirown Ghurkns his soul loved, and all the excitement of the Frontier Campaign. Too fast, unroll too fast, for young Dick Hodson, his friend and fellow oflicer, who had just left his promised wife on Paddington plat form, and whose generally cheery face now wore a look of the most settled melancholy.

'Cheer up, Dick !' Smyth said at last, throwing down his paper: ' saying good-bye in a poor amusement, but we've all got to get through it sometime 3. And I've only promised Iter six months at the outside to get tho trousseau ready.' Dick smiled mournfully. ' Easy enough for you, old bachelor,' he said, 'but you simply don't know what good-bye means. Just wait till you're in my place !' The elder man picked up his paper again with an odd little twisted smile. ' Perhaps I don't, Dick,' he said, and disappeared once more behind the ' Times.'

But presently, when Dick was once more completely absorbed in a blind contemplation of the landscape, Smyth quietly brought out of his pocket a small gold locket carefully encased in wash leather. For quite a long time he looked down at a bright girlish face which smiled at him from within. Then he closed the locket and put it softly to his lips—' I'll bring him back, dear,' he whispered, 'or stay out there myself.' He slid the locket back into its resting place, and walked across the carriage. 'Wake up' old boy!' be said, putting his hand on Dick's shoulder —'she'll be as proud as Punch of that D.S.O. which is waiting for you out there! And think how it will look in the papers—' On the so and so inst., at St. George's, Hanover Square,' or whaie er sanctuary you may select for the honour ' Captain Richard Hodson, D. 5.0., to Margaret, only daughter, &c !' Hodson smiled. • Yes, and don't you forget another it-no in the report —'Captain, or Major it will be then, George Smyth performed all the arduous duties of Best Man with his usual courtesy and elegance' —we're not going to havo that left out, ] can tell you, though 1 believe even now you're thinking howto get out of it!' ' Not for worlds, Dick ! If I've to bring the Mad Mullah himself along at the end of a rope. I'm going to be on tho spot to fee you two fixed up.' ' George ?' 1 Yes.'

' What beats me is how you, who knew her ever since she was a girl, could help falling in love with her yourself?' Smyth's bronzed face flushed slightly. ' Don't know, old man,' he said at last, ' but I think Nature cut me out tor an old bachelor somehow. Hullo! here we are ! Got your traps ready ?' * * * * Tang! Thud ! and a bullet snipped through thft side of the tent and into the pole foot. ' Confound it all !' came in a sleepy grumble from the darkness, 1 this is a bit too much !'

A camp bedstead creaked thankfully, and next moment a head was thrust out'of the tent. The Indian moon was nearly full, and the lines of the British camp stood out as clear as day light in the hollow. All around the blackmountains rose like the sides of a huge chipped bowl. But just now the bowl's brim was twinkling with little sparks of fire which kept (lashing out at intervals, causing grievous wrath and evil-speaking among the sleepless men. For each spark meant a wily sniper snugly lying under cover, with a civilised rifle at his shoulder, and the big white camp bonanth him in the distance as a target which even an Afridi sharpshooter could hardly miss.

Tang ! Another bullet sang—overhead this time—and the flash which heralded it had sparked from a spur of rock scarcely 800 yards away. The watcher marked the spot. ' We could cut that fellow off, anyhow,' he muttered as he dived back into the tent. ' I wonder if Smyth's awake V In a couple of minutes he stepped out into the moonlight, strapping a revolver round his waist, and hurried to a tent at the end of the line. He squeezed his head inside tho flap aud whistled softly. 'Who's there V nskod a gruff voice.

The visitor untied the fastenings ut lust and slipped inside. ' It's I —HocLoh, l he said , ' wake up—

I've got a game "ti that will suit us ni tly.' The owner of th- tent sat up grumbling, nnd struck a match. ' Hullo", D.ck, 1 he said, sleepily; ' what on earth is up 1 ?' 1 Thai, !' said Hudson, a.? another bullet whistled through tin ai". 'That fe'!ow's down b■■low the ridge making fane/ shoo'ini.' at Might hundred. He's right out'by himself, and b's a lovely chance for a really neat hit. of stalking. P« just g.-t. in'o your boots and comalong quick.' 'D.m'tbe a fool, Dick. Why can't V'iu stay in lied and try to get some sleep?—you'll wan! it tomorrow. Bi'-iide?, he won't hit anything.' ' Won't he, by Jove. He's just got the rans-', and put a shot l>ang into my tent. I'm goini, anyhow. I've had about enough of him, and the men cui't get any shep with these brutes peppering !lWu y/,. a " night. So yobcl nivjhr, if you. won't come.'

Smytli saw his friend's figure blacken the doorway. Then for one hateful instant temptation surged hot within him to let him go—alone. There was a danger, and he might not return. Then

The moment passed. Bat it left the sweat standing on his forehead. He sprang up with a jerk. ' Dick !' he shouted, and hardly knew the voice for his own.

The steps returned and Dick's head was thrust in again.

' Hullo!' he said ; 'I thought you'd want to come, after all. Good !'

' Well, wait a bit !' . Smyth growled. 'lf you really won't leave the. poor harmless beggar alone, I suppose I must come and look after you. My ' Best Man ' duties beginning already,' he muttered, struggling into Ids boots. Pnsently the two men stole out of the tent, and stood for a moment in the shadow behind. ' Mark forward !' Dick chuckled flippantly, as another flash came from the spur. The bullet sang overhead. ' He's lost bis elevation though !' The sentry grinned as they gave the countersign. "Ope they'll nip the beggar,', he said, as he watched them cautiously across the open ground towards the cliffs. ''E's a precious sight too near the targ-1, '<: is !' Half an hours breathless climb landed them panting, but comparatively intact, at the top of the spur. ' Where is he V Hodson whimpered. And the question was answered next moment by a shot which rang out almost at their very feet. Hodson wriggled c lutiously to the edge and peered over. Thirty feet below, and apparently suspended over space, he made out the head and shoulders of a white figure, lying flat on its stomach ; the rest of the body was hidden by a bulge in the cliff face. ,

Presently, as they watched, tho figure moved, and a well-oi'ed ride barrel glistened in the moonlight.

Smyth noddel, and Hodson's hand crept noiselessly to his belt, and then slowly, his arm stretched downwards over the edge. This time tho report which rang out was crispcr than its predecessors, and punctured with a short, choking grunt from below. The white form stiffened for an instant on its elbows, and then collapsed limply. 'No more pot shots for you, my friend!' And Hodson turned —to find Smyth, with his back towards him, staring intently down the path they had climbed. ' Look there!' And Hodson looked. What he saw was not reassuring, Two hundred yards away a score of dim figures were climbing like cats over the rocks towards them. ' Have they seen us V ' No—l don't, think so ; but they heard your shot—and there's no cover here.' [Good God ! look there !' Further up and taking asi mting course across the crest, were more moving specks. Tho second line of retreat was cut off now. Smyth spun round again on his stomach to the cliff's edge. •Just a chance,' he muttered, half to himself, ' if we can get there !' They crawled along the edge, looking for the plaoe where the man bad gone down. They found it—a narrow crack in the cliff's face..

Somehow at last they roiehed a narrow, broken shelf beneath their feet.

They edged periously, along Smyth first, until the ledge ended abruptly round a sudden corner in a narrow jutting platform. A whi'.e heap lay there with both arms sticking out s'.iflly over tho edge. They crouched back against the overhanging rook. Smyth glanced upwards,

' They can't see us here if we keep back,' he said ; and then eyed the dead man curiously, Suddenly he bent forward, and straddling over the body, lifted it slightly an I unfastened a-stiff cartridge box from the waistbelt, With this ho quickly propped up the heavy head, fixing tho box under neck and chin. Then he bent the stiffening arms and fingers to hold the rifle again, ramming the butt homo under the shoulder, When it was done, tho dead man at their feet lay once more aiming straight over the camp.

Suddenly they head voices on the cliff above; and someone spoke angrily—' Fool* and the sona of

fools ! it is lie then only, eWn as I sail!' 'and tli mi c illetl down over the elg", ' Good, 0 my sm ! what quarry for thy hunting, little hawk?'

Smyth grasped the dead man's unkl'.s n'ifl stirred the lody slightly. ' A fair made, my fither,' he answered gruffly, in the same tongue and wai'.e'J, silent.

'll ist a dry lliroit'..froui thy watching.' cime the atn-ver slowly. Then another voice bruk a in excitedly, hut no ivords reached the u. Then a short pause. Suddenly a small stone dropped pas', tin dead man's head, and then another, hotter aimed, rat 1 led on the. birrel of the rifle.

'No, go, after all,'Smyth said, and with a quick thrust at the feet sent- the body over fie ledge. ' More room now —how many rounds have you got f ' "elt full,' was the answer. ' Good! we'll hold them yet.' Then he drew his revolver and fired six times quickly, signalling the sleeping camp. The enemy gave no sign. But at last a soft sliding sound struck on the straining ears of the besieged. Inch by inch a dark head edged forward round the corner. Then the white shoulders But Hodson was watching. For a second a tall figure stood upright, clinging convulsively to the rock with clutching finger?, and then fjll headlong. A dull crash cimo up through the quivering air. ' They can come that way as often as they like,' Hodson said, grimly, as the smoke cleared

Hurrah!' look there!' Light-, were flashing to and fro in the cunp. shall win through yet, George.' Smyth a rasped tho outstretched hand.

' Please God, old man !' he said hut on the words camo a flash from the far cliff, and a bullet chipped off a bit of rock behind them. ' No, Dick, we're done ; they've got, us safe after all !'

'Lie down !' Smyth said, sternly, as another bullet bit into the rock.

' Not I, old man,' for there was no room for both to lie in the shadow.

Another shot came, and this time the aim was belter. Hodson lurched forward. ' It's nothing,' he said, faintly ; ' only tho shoulder— I'm all right.' 'Ah I that's better, old' boy,' said Smyth, as Hodson collapsed in a dead faint. ' Now God grant mc two minutes.' He thrust his hand inside Hodson's tunic, aud felt the blood trickling fast from a jagged wound low down in the right shoulder. Then he hurriedly made a rough pad of bis handkerchief and pressed it over tin wound, fastening his belt round tightly over it to keep the pad in its place. Bullets spluttered on the rock around him, but God gave hin his two minutes He laid Hodson down full length in the dark angle of the rock. His left hand gropid inside his tunic and pulled out a little gold locket fastened hy a chain round his nook. ' I shan't bring him hack, after all,' ho muttered ; ' but he'll —get back—all right if they're only quick.' He pressed the locket to his lips for an instant tightly. Then a bullet took him full in the dies'. Ho swayed a little, hut still knelt np in front of Hodson's body, clinging dizzily to tho rock with his left hand until he steadied himself. Then he unfastened the locket, and, sinking back, thrust it into Dick's clenched hand. ' Better there,' he whispored, and tried to kneel up again; but another shot hit him, and then a third. He fell backjust as a scattered volley rang out overhead.

'They've been quick,' he gasped, < but—too late —for mo.' Then he nerved himself to a supreme effort, and shouting ' Guides ! Guides !' fell backwards on Hodson's body. He just opened his eyes when the rescuers got them to the top. Tho officer who supported him was quick to answer the unspoken question—'Hodson's safe,' he said. For a moment the glazing eyes brightened, and the ghost of a smile flitted across the drawn face. His lips moved, 'T<ll him—to get -someone else,' came faintly. Then his head dropped forward. Hodson's ' Best Man ' bad failed him after all.