The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

A Treacherous Friend. 259
the prize he so earnestly longed for—the hand, if not the
heart, of Mary Murray. Arthur received his orders with
mingled feelings. Like a true soldier, he gloried in the
but his ardour was somewhat
chance of facing the foe ;
cooled and clouded when he thought of the length)-
period which might possibh- elapse ere he could again meet
his intended bride. Vet, with the buo\-anc)' and hope of
}-outh, he cast vain regrets to the wind, and with a cheerful,
almost gay demeanour, he went to Egypt, trusting he would
win honour in the path of duty. Fame or glory in that
miserable undertaking in the Soudan he did not expect to
win, for, ere starting, he discovered that ignorant officialdom
had so circumscribed the sphere of action of those sent
forth on the expedition that failure, if not disaster, must
ine\-itably accompain* it.
The \-arious incidents of the campaign are too well
known to most readers to need recapitulation here. Arthur
and Edward went through the various actions which were
fought unscathed, and were returning with the rest of the
British troops northwards towards the Delta. Upon these
two officers dexolved the duty of bringing up the rear, and
preventing the enem\-, which was following them, trom
making an attack upon the main body. One da\-, ere
reaching the spot \\-here it was intended to pitch the camp
for the night, Arthur commenced to tell Dillon of a ver\"
tender communication which had reached him the da}'
before from his betrothed, and in which his own name
(Dillon's; was specially mentioned in a friendl}' w&.\ ; but
Dillon suddenly changed the subject ; then, growing silent
and gloom}-, cast repeated glances in the direction of the
enemy. At length, after a longer silence than usual, he
suggested to Arthur the advisabilit}- of both making a short
reconnaisance in order to ascertain the movements of the
advancing foe, and to determine the possibilit}- of a night
attack being made. Arthur was nothing loth, especial!}- as
the men were now entering upon their camping ground,
and both being mounted on good thorough-bred arab