Free TW06 The Khyber Connection NEW by Simon Hawke Page B

dozens of tribal banners, as well as the black flags of the jehad. As night came, the cliffs all around them glowed with the light of several hundred campfires.
    "Hell of a sight, eh?"
    Finn turned toward the voice.
    "Surgeon-Lieutenant Hugo," said the doctor.
    "Lieutenant Delaney," said Finn. He held out his hand. Hugo took it in an awkward grip with his left hand. His right arm hung straight at his side, looking stiff. "You were hit?" said Finn.
    Hugo gave a slight snort. "No, fortunately. Bit of temporary paralysis. Cramped, you know."
    From what?"
    "Oh, Lieutenant Ford was wounded in the shoulder. Bullet cut the artery. We were under heavy fire and he was lying out in the open, so there was no opportunity to give the poor chap proper aid, don't you know. He had fainted from loss of blood. I had no other choice but to pinch the vessel shut between my thumb and forefinger. Crouched there that way for three hours until I could move him to safety. Hell of a thing. Haven't been able to move my arm hardly at all since. Hand's gone numb. Nothing to worry about, it's only a temporary cramp, but it's rather an inconvenience."
    Finn thought that only an Englishman could speak in such an offhand manner about holding a man's life between his thumb and forefinger for three hours while under heavy fire.
    "Anyway, it's nice to have you chaps," said Hugo, putting a cigarette in his mouth and awkwardly trying to strike a light with his left hand. Finn lit it for him.
    "Thank's, old boy. Didn't quite think you were riding into such a damned mess, did you?"
    "Oh, I knew it would be bad," said Finn, "but it's another thing to see it. There must be thousands of them up there. It looks like the whole mountain range is on fire."
    Hugo nodded. "More arriving every day. Word has it the Utman Khels have joined the fray. The Mahsuds, as well. The Mad Fakir's pulling them in. Final bloody conflict and all that. There're lathered up right and proper."
    'They let us ride right in," said Finn.
    Hugo nodded again. "Why not? Why take you in the open where you can make an effort at deploying? Better position here. Nothing short of a mass suicidal assault would break into this fort—not that I think they're not up it, mind you—but they have us trapped in here. It's like sitting atop a sugar cube in a great big empty cup.
    And they're all around the rim. I believe they're building up to final push. Meanwhile they continue sniping at us from the cliffs. They're damned proficient at it too. Bloody good marksmanship, at this range."
    "Has there been any communication with Chakdarra?" Finn said.
    "We managed to reestablish heliograph signaling with them briefly on the morning of the twenty-ninth," said Hugo. "They're hanging on, but they've sustained heavy losses. It seems they've had a rougher go of it than we. Food and ammunition are running short. Lieutenant-Colonel Adams took the Guides to make a try for the Amandara Pass, but they were forced to retire. He lost sixteen men and twenty-six horses. Now that you lot have arrived, we might stand a better chance. I was forced to miss the officer's conference. Had to tend to the wounded. Couldn't do much with this arm, you know. Stiff as bloody blazes. That new doctor was a godsend." He chuckled. "Godsend. Missionary, godsend, that's good, what?"
    Finn smiled.
    "So what's the plan, then?" Hugo said.
    "General Blood's ordered the relieving column to assemble on Gretna Green there," Finn said, pointing.
    "The first attack will be directed toward Castle Rock, which dominates the high ground above the green. We move at half-past four this morning."
    "Bloody hell," said Hugo. "If Castle Rock is taken at the same time as troops begin a push from Gretna Green, it might open up the graded road, and then deployment would be possible! Who thought of that?"
    "General Blood."
    "Now that I see it, it's so damned obvious," said Hugo. "But then, we hadn't the manpower before. We may get out of this mess yet. Well, I'd better