Through Three Campaigns | Page 3

camp
and, throwing himself down, wept unrestrainedly for an hour. Then he
roused himself, and walked slowly back. By a mighty effort he had
composed himself, for he knew that he must be calm when he saw his
father.
Half an hour later, the doctor beckoned him in.
"He is conscious now," he said, "and has whispered that he wishes to
see you. He has been very calm, all the way down, and has spoken of
you often."
"I will do my best," Lisle muttered, keeping down his tears with a
tremendous effort; and then went into his father's room.
He could not trust himself to speak a word but, walking up, took his
father's hand and, kneeling down, pressed it to his lips, his whole form
shaking with agitation.
"I am glad I have held out until I got back," his father said, in a low
voice. "It is all up with me, my boy, and I have only a few hours to live,
at most. I am sorry, now, that you did not start for England before this
happened; but I have no doubt that it is all for the best. I shall die, as I
should wish to die, doing my duty and, except for leaving you, I shall
feel small regret."
"Must you leave me, father?" Lisle sobbed.
"Yes, my boy, I have known it from the first. It is only my intense
desire to see you again that has kept me up. The doctor said he did not

expect that I should last more than two or three days, at most.
"You will bear in mind what I said to you, the day before we started. I
have no fear about you, Lisle; I am sure you will make an honest
gentleman and a brave soldier, and will do credit to our name. I should
stay here a few weeks longer, if I were you, until some others are going
down. The officers are all fond of you, and it would be better for you to
have company, than to make the long journey to the coast alone.
"My voice is failing me, lad, and I can say no more, now; but you can
sit here with me, till the end comes. It will not be long. When you have
completed your training, the fact that I have died in this way will give
you a good claim to a commission."
Lisle sat with his father for some hours. Occasionally the dying man
moved and, leaning over him, he could catch the words "God bless
you!" Before midnight the brave spirit had passed away, and Lisle went
out and cried like a child, till morning.
The funeral took place next day. After it was over, the colonel sent for
Lisle; who had now, after a hard struggle, recovered his composure.
"Did your father give you any instructions, Lisle? You may be sure that
whatever he said we will carry out."
"He said that he thought it would be best for me to stay here for a few
weeks as, among so many kind friends, I should be able to bear it better
than if I went down at once."
"Quite right, lad! We shall all be very glad to have you with us. You
can remain in the bungalow as long as you like. It is not likely to be
wanted, for some months. Your father's butler and one or two servants
will be enough to look after you; and you will, of course, remain a
member of the mess. In this way, I hope you will have recovered some
of your cheerfulness before you start."
It was a hard time for Lisle for the next week or two, for everything
reminded him of his father. The risaldar major and the other native

officers, with all of whom he was familiar, grasped him by the hand
when they met, in token of their sympathy; and the sepoys stood at
attention, with mournful faces, when he passed them. He spent the heat
of the day with his books, and only stirred out in the early morning and
evening, meals being considerately sent down to him from the mess. At
the end of a fortnight he made a great effort and joined the mess, and
the kindness with which the officers spoke to him gradually cheered
him.
Then there came an excitement which cheered him further. There were
rumours of disaffection among the hill tribes, and the chances of a
campaign were discussed with animation, both among officers and
soldiers. The regiment was a very fine one, composed of sturdy
Punjabis; and all agreed that, if there were an expedition, they would
probably form part of it. Lisle entered fully into the general feeling, and
his eyes glistened as