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The Colonel's son to the Fort has won, they bid him

stay to eat

Who rides at the tail of a Border thief, he sits not long at his meat.

He's up and away from Fort Bukloh as fast as he can fly, Till he was aware of his father's mare in the gut of the Tongue of Jagai,

Till he was aware of his father's mare with Kamal upon her back,

And when he could spy the white of her eye, he made the pistol crack.

He has fired once, he has fired twice, but the whistling ball went wide.

"Ye shoot like a soldier," Kamal said. "Show now if ye can ride."

It's

up and over the Tongue of Jagai, as blown dust-devils go,

The dun he fled like a stag of ten, but the mare like a barren doe.

The dun he leaned against the bit and slugged his head

above,

But the red mare played with the snaffle-bars,3 as a maiden plays with a glove.

There was rock to the left and rock to the right, and low lean thorn between,

And thrice he heard a breech-bolt snick tho' never a man

was seen.

They have ridden the low moon out of the sky, their hoofs drum up the dawn,

The dun he went like a wounded bull, but the mare like a new-roused fawn.

The dun he fell at a water-course-in a woful heap fell he, And Kamal has turned the red mare back, and pulled the rider free.

3. Snaffle-bars. Bridle bit.

He has knocked the pistol out of his hand-small room was there to strive,

""Twas only by favor of mine," quoth he, “ye rode so long alive:

"There was not a rock for twenty miles, there was not a

clump of tree,

"But covered a man of my own men with his rifle cocked
on his knee.

"If I had raised my bridle-hand, as I have held it low,
"The little jackals that flee so fast, were feasting all in a

row:

"If I had bowed my head on my breast, as I have held

it high,

"The kite that whistles above us now were gorged till she could not fly."

Lightly answered the Colonel's son: "Do good to bird and beast,

"But count who come for the broken meats before thou

makest a feast.

"If there should follow a thousand swords to carry my

bones away,

"Belike the price of a jackal's meal were more than a thief could pay.

"They will feed their horse on the standing crop, their men on the garnered grain,

4

"The thatch of the byres will serve their fires when all the cattle are slain.

"But if thou thinkest the price be fair, thy brethren wait to sup,

"The hound is kin to the jackal-spawn,-howl, dog, and call them up!

"And if thou thinkest the price be high, in steer and gear and stack,

"Give me my father's mare again, and I'll fight my own way back!"

4. Byres. Cow stables.

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Kamal has gripped him by the hand and set him upon his feet.

"No talk shall be of dogs," said he, "when wolf and gray wolf meet.

“May I eat dirt if thou hast hurt of me in deed or breath; "What dam of lances brought thee forth to jest at the dawn with Death?"

Lightly answered the Colonel's son: "I hold by the blood of my clan:

"Take up the mare for my father's gift-by God, she has carried a man!"

The red mare ran to the Colonel's son, and nuzzled against his breast;

"We be two strong men," said Kamal then, “but she loveth the younger best.

"So she shall go with a lifter's dower, my turquoisestudded rein,

"My broidered saddle and saddle-cloth, and silver stirrups twain."

The Colonel's son a pistol drew and held it muzzle-end, "Ye have taken the one from a foe," said he; "will ye take the mate from a friend?"

“A gift for a gift," said Kamal straight; "a limb for the risk of a limb.

"Thy father has sent his son to me, I'll send my son to him!"

With that he whistled his only son, that dropped from a mountain-crest

He trod the ling 5 like a buck in spring, and he looked like a lance in rest.

"Now here is thy master," Kamal said, "who leads a troop of the Guides,

"And thou must ride at his left side as shield on shoulder rides.

5. Ling. Heath or heather.

"Till Death or I cut loose the tie, at camp and board and bed,

"Thy life is his-thy fate is to guard him with thy head. "So thou must eat the White Queen's meat, and all her

foes are thine,

"And thou must harry thy father's hold for the peace of the Border-line,

"And thou must make a trooper tough and hack thy way to power—

"Belike they will raise thee to Ressaldar when I am hanged in Peshawur.”

They have looked each other between the eyes, and there they have found no fault,

They have taken the Oath of the Brother-in-Blood on leavened bread and salt;

They have taken the Oath of the Brother-in-Blood on fire and fresh-cut sod,

6

On the hilt and the haft of the Khyber knife, and the
Wondrous Names of God.

The Colonel's son he rides the mare and Kamal's boy

the dun,

And two have come back to Fort Bukloh where there went forth but one.

And when they drew to the Quarter-Guard, full twenty swords flew clear

There was not a man but carried his feud with the blood of the mountaineer.

"Ha' done! ha' done!" said the Colonel's son, "Put up the steel at your sides!

"Last night ye had struck at a Border thief-tonight 'tis a man of the Guides!"

Khyber. Khaibar; a native state in the Punjab, India.

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Oh East is East and West is West, and never the twain

shall meet,

Till Earth and Sky stand presently at God's great Judgment Seat;

But there is neither East nor West, Border, nor Breed,

nor Birth,

When two strong men stand face to face, tho' they come from the ends of the earth.

30

JOHN GILPIN

WILLIAM COWPER

John Gilpin was a citizen

Of credit and renown,
A trainband captain eke was he
Of famous London town.

John Gilpin's spouse said to her dear,
"Though wedded we have been
These twice ten tedious years, yet we
No holiday have seen.

"Tomorrow is our wedding-day,
And we will then repair
Unto the Bell at Edmonton,
All in a chaise and pair.

"My sister, and my sister's child,
Myself, and children three,

Will fill the chaise; so you must ride
On horseback after we."

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