"Oh, anything. Tell him it's life or death. Tell him the facts, and
don't spare. You'll have to impress on the telegraph clerk its
importance first and that will take time. Tell him to send to Gilgit
and Srinagar, and then to the Indus Valley. He must send into Chitral
too and warn Armstrong. Above all things the Kohistan railway must be
watched, because it must be their main card. Lord! I wish I understood
the game better. Heaven knows it isn't my profession. But Thwaite will
understand if you scare him enough. Tell him that Bardur must be held
ready for siege at any moment. You understand how to work the thing?"
George nodded. "There'll be nobody there, so I suppose I'll have to
break the door open. I think I remember the trick of the business.
_Then_, what do I do?"
"Get up to Khautmi as fast as you can shin it. Better take the servants
and send them before you while you work the telegraph. I suppose
they're trustworthy. Get them to warn Mitchinson and St. John. They
must light the fires on the hills and collect all the men they can spare
to hold the road. Of course it's a desperate venture. We'll probably
all be knocked on the head, but we must risk it. If we can stop the
beggars for one half-hour we'll give Thwaite a better chance to set his
house in order. How I'd sell my soul to see a strong man in Bardur!
That will be the key of the position.
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