AMANULLAH

the mullahs, now led by the formidable Mullah of
Chaknaur. He was too late. The mullahs had suffered
long enough the gradual dwindling of their prestige,
and were determined to reinstate themselves in power
by more drastic methods. They even seemed to be
siding with the water-carrier's son, a strange course, for
he was unclean in the sight of Allah, and of one of the
lowest and most servile castes in the country.

Bacha Sachao, however, interspersed his bloodthirsty
threats with holy oaths, and the name of Allah was
often on his lips. Everything he did, apparently, was
in the cause of Allah. The mullahs, doubtless with
tongues in their cheeks, lent him their support, seeing
in him a champion for the lost privileges of the priests.

The sole remaining arm of his services upon which
Amanullah could rely were the Russian pilots and their
aeroplanes. He sent them on extensive tours of the
country, armed with leaflets, which he had dropped in
every large village. In the leaflets he reminded his
people of the certain misery they would incur by their
opposition to the King. He informed them of his
recent concessions to popular demand, and assured
them, speaking presumably on behalf of Allah, that not
only in this world, but in the next, they would be
condemned to an existence of sorrow and misery. Once
again, the effect was nil, and the next time the pilots
soared away from Kabul, they carried bombs instead
of leaflets as their cargo.

All the roads were now impassable. Bridges were torn
up to prevent the movement of troops. Great logs had
been hauled across the roads. The telegraph lines were
cut. Kabul was isolated. Fears began to be entertained
for the safety of the British Legation.

There were, so far as was known, sixteen British
subjects, of whom four were women and three were

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