The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

26o The Highland Monthly
horses, they had soon retired two or three miles towards the
enemy. The ground for several miles was comparatively
flat, though much broken with mounds and hollows, but no
Arab was to be seen within a radius of seven or eight miles.
The Arabs had numbers of camels and horses, and these
could be distinctly seen moving about against the horizon.
Arthur and Edward halted for a minute or two upon the
summit of a sandhill and gazed around them. Suddenly to
their left front, and about five hundred yards away, they
beheld four mounted Arabs emerging from a hollow, but
who stood still the moment they observed the officers. The
latter were conversing freely about the probability of others
of the enemy being in the vicinity, and Arthur was in the
act of turning to address some remarks to his companion,
when that officer, without uttering a word, suddenly drew
his revolver and fired point blank at Arthur. Tlie bullet
took effect behind the left temple, and Arthur fell
to the ground without a struggle or groan ; his
horse galloping off towards camp. Dillon leant over
in his saddle, and glanced for a moment at the
fallen man, whose face was deadly pale, save where
the crimson blood flowing from the wound stained it,
forming a ghastly contrast to the pallor which overspread
the rest of his countenance. After gazing upon him for a
few seconds, Dillon turned away and cantered leisurely
towards the camp, muttering between his clenched teeth,
in hoarse whispers—" Ha, my hopes' horizon is clear and
cloudless now, and I shall win the prize." On reaching the
camp, he went at once to the General in command, to
whom he reported that while he and BothwcU were recon-
noitering in the direction of the enemy, thcs- were suddenly
attacked by a party of mounted Arabs, and that his com-
panion was slain. The General at once ordered out a
strong detachment to check the encm)-'s advance, and to
recover, if possible, the body of the fallen officer.
Dillon led them about half a mile to the right of the
spo-t where he had shot his comrade, with the result that no
.