"Um-m-m! Whose fault was that? Somebody ought to have seen to that.
Go to Delhi now and meet her. I'll send her a wire to say you're
coming. She knows I've chosen you. She tried to insist on full
discretion, but I overruled her. Between us two, she'll have
discretion once she gets beyond Jamrud. The 'Hills' are full of
our spies, of course, but none of 'em dare try Khinjan Caves any
more and you'll be the only check we shall have on her."

King's tongue licked his lips, and his eyes wrinkled. The general's
voice became the least shade more authoritative.

"When you see her, get a pass from her that'll take you into Khinjan
Caves! Ask her for it! For the sake of appearances I'll gazette
you Seconded to the Khyber Rifles. For the sake of success, get
a pass from her!"

"Very well, sir."

"You've a brother in the Khyber Rifles, haven't you? Was it you
or your brother who visited Khinjan once and sent in a report?"

"I did, sir."

He spoke without pride. Even the brigade of British-Indian cavalry
that went to Khinjan on the strength of his report and leveled its
defenses with the ground, had not been able to find the famous Caves.
Yet the Caves themselves are a by-word.

"There's talk of a jihad (holy war). There's worse than that! When
you went to Khinjan, what was your chief object?"