IN HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 53, 9 March 1900, Page 4

IN HER MAJESTY'S SERVICE.

A STORY OF THE AFGHAN WAR. ( By B. M. DelL, in Liidgate Magazine.) Ask de Vert's opinion! Ha is always ready for an argument." , " Major ; de . yere 1" grinned the youngest subaltern present. " Why, he s as sleepy as an owl in the sunshine. He alwaysis." - Major de Vere himself leaned forward across the mess-table and fixed his sleepy blue eyes upon the speaker's face, rather to that young gentleman's embarrassment. The major was a goodlooking, sunburnt man of over thirty, a trifle supercilious and a trifle Max, but Bone the less good at heart. " Who is as sleepy aa an owl in the sunshine?' he inquired, watching his junior's confusion with lazy enjoyment" " I didn't say anything/' stammered the subaltern. "It was that fellow over there; wanted to ask you what you thought about acting against orders, and that."

" Acting against orders! Whatdoes this youth mean? Can any of you fellows enlighten me ?" i "Yes. It was I who started the , subject," said another subaltern, a dark, somewhat reserved man of twenty-five, pushing away his wine-glass and flinging his cigar into the fireplace. Major de Vere laughed goodfaaturedly. • " My dear fellow, don't for Heaven's sake look.so confoundedly serious. It's a shame to waste good Havanas like that for the sake of an argument. What is the momentous question ?" " Simply this. Is a man justified in leaving camp, during warfare of course, contrary to orders, to save a Comrade who may be dying outside ? I say he is. Hone says he doesn't know. What do you say V Captain Hone, a merry-faced Irishman with the reputation for being | father long-tongued, pushed back his ohair with a rattle. "I should say, wait fill the time cdmes, and then see what course you like the best. If he's a bosom friend, fetch him in, in defiance of law and order. If he's- the other thing, then let him take ..his chance. I don't approve of heaping coals of fire even on an enemy's head.. Not quite the ■ : thing in war. 1 That's what I say, Clarence here has the impudence to disagree with me, and Bay that friends and enemies are the same thing. He gets hold of some rum ideas, does that fellow. Only the other day"Keep to th<?subject," peremptorily interposed Major de Vere, " A rolling stone "

" Bight for you, de Vera. Never heard it applied to me in that nay before, though, Now let us hear >»wtat you have to say upon the subject." " What I have to say V' The major ■■ ■' leaned beck and half-closed his eyes. M I aay that both you fellows are utterly ■ in the wrong. We bestow as much consideration upon our enemies as upon bur friends in war " "If it comes to that, rather more," put in Captain Hone, grinning at the frown with which the major greeted his inteiruption. "But under no pretext should a man disobey orders," proceeded de Vere deliberately. Young Clarence bent forward, his face flushed and eager; _ "Do you think that, Major? When N V la man ia dying a hundred yards a Way because you will not give a helping hand T , "Bight is right," said the major t briefly. " But ip such a case what is right V "Obedience. Don't deceive your•self, Clarence. Tour life belongs to Her Majesty, so .long as you are in Her Majesty's Service. You have no right to throw away what is not your own. Whatever your personal interests ; may be, they should have no weight where duty is concerned. It is your ;■ duty to bear in mind the cause which you setve; and 110 consideration can justify insubordiuation." "On the other hand, to obey a ... general order may be to become an unfeeling brute. If you save a life, it is a life saved for the Service." " Possibly. But that does not alter the fact that to obtain that very laudable end you.vio'ate the very rudiments of the training that Service gives. You cannot get over that, Clarence." "Then how ;is it that the Queen herself rewards such insubordination , with the highest honours she can confer ? How is it tliat a man is praised not blamed even if he loses his valuable life in such an attempt?" Major De Yere smiled with an air of v slespy superiority. "T. hat is the inconsistency of human nature," he said. " The fact remains that that man, gallant as he may be, has disobeyed his orders. And that mam deserves to be shot." t Clarence flung himself back impatiently in his chair. y " I don't agree with you, Major de Yere. I can't. Do you mean to tell ~ me that if-your ne-rest and dearest ! friend were lying almost at your feet you would not move a hand to help him?" My ■? good fellow, I have already Stated my views and my raisons for maintaining them, I sn j posu von . kuow the ancient advieo that bids you 'of fcwo difficulties choose the vroifit' ?" "That has nothing to do with the * question." Pardon me. In such a case as you have put forward, which course would be the more difficult to pursue? To l*ve your friend to die, and follow the < path of duty, or to go to his assistance and leave duty alone ?"' Clarence rose without replying. "You are done my boy," said Hone , with a gay laugh. « Beaten in fail fight. You may as well own it." l - wered gravely, holding out his hand to gf, file major. "I have no fur:her [argument to bring forward, Major, and I shall not forget my defeat. As we are off to Afghanistan to-morrow, pelbaps'the lesson you have been good enough to give me may be of use • Goodnight" "Good-night." A smile flashed into de Vere's eyes as he shook hand-i. • "You give me the victory, Clarence ?" "I give you the victory," he ansirered,~'and, with a look on his face , hat .perplexed his superior, he went mt, f {To In cwUinued,)