AMANULLAH

of the walls. Inside, Sir Francis Humphrys ensured
that, except for the guards at their posts, no mail should
expose himself to danger. The guards were instructed
not to fire at any cost, but to preserve the neutrality of
the Legation. The Union Jack still flew at the flag-pole,
and the outer gates were closed, with but a small guard
in the guardhouse to deal with any who might seek to
break in.

At any moment the temper of the mob might be
turned against the British. Fortunately, Sir Francis
was the best known and the most popular of all the
ambassadors in Kabul. He was known, not only in the
city, but in far-away villages where he had rested the
night on shooting expeditions.

An Afghan never forgets. They recalled his familiarity
with their language, his sympathy with their problems,
and, perhaps of primary importance, his love of shikar
and his prowess after game. He had allowed them to
finger his rifles, had shown many of the villagers the
latest thing in bullets, and had talked to them like
brothers on their kindred subject of sport in their
native hills.

Lady Humphrys had often accompanied him on these
trips. She had camped the night outside their villages,
had thanked them for their gifts of milk and food, and
had shown herself ready and willing to interest herself in
their lives.

Perhaps those shooting expeditions were responsible
to a great extent for the preservation of the British
Legation that night, and prevented the repetition of yet
another of those horrors which had cost Britain dear in
lives in Afghanistan's bloody history.

But nevertheless everything was prepared in the
Legation. The basement was sandbagged* Every man
was given his task to perform.

222