and finding it much more extravagant than he would have dreamed
of providing for himself, he lit one of his black cheroots, and
with hands clasped behind him strolled over to the fort to interview
Courtenay, the officer commanding.

It so happened that Courtenay had gone up the Pass that morning
with his shotgun after quail. He came back into view, followed
by his little ten-man escort just as King neared the fort, and
King timed his approach so as to meet him. The men of the escort
were heavily burdened; he could see that from a distance.

"Hello!" he said by the fort gate, cheerily, after he had saluted
and the salute had been returned.

"Oh, hello, King! Glad to see you. Heard you were coming, of course.
Anything I can do?"

"Tell me anything you know," said King, offering him a cheroot
which the other accepted. As he bit off the end they stood facing
each other, so that King could see the oncoming escort and what
it carried. Courtenay read his eyes.

"Two of my men!" he said. "Found 'em up the Pass. Gazi work I think.
They were cut all to pieces. There's a big lashkar gathering
somewhere in the 'Hills,' and it might have been done by their
skirmishers, but I don't think so."

"A lashkar besides the crowd at Khinjan?"

"Yes."