EX-KING OF AFGHANISTAN

Royal Palace, and all believed to be the relatives of the
King and Ministers at his Court.

Yet the miracle happened. As he passed into the
interior, in March 1929, he was greeted and welcomed
by companies of tribesmen. They hailed him affection-
ately, came up and kissed his hand. Even the Shinwaris,
first to take up arms against the rule of Amanullah,
welcomed him. They knew him for a fighting man and a
true patriot. In the space of a week he had with him the
support of thousands of men in the south, ready to march
with him to Kabul, prepared to die for their leader.

His success put heart into him, revived his health as
no European doctor had been able to do, and determined
him to attempt the salvation of his country* In a few
more weeks he marched to Kabul, captured the hill of
Bala Hissar, and looked down once more on the capital
which held his relatives in. prison and which formed the
headquarters of the shameful Amir.

Strangely enough, his words to his troops had been
of the same substance as those of Amanullah. " Rid
yourselves of this infidel usurper ! " he had cried to
them. " Save your country from the shame of a heathen
ruler ! Take arms with me, and win back the fair name
of Afghanistan ! "

In the one case the appeal had miserably failed. Now,
with Nadir Khan as spokesman, the words turned the
oppressed and retrograde tribesmen into crusaders
fighting for their nation. For they could put their
trust in him.

The water-carrier's son was worried. He had made
few plans for the defence of Kabul. He had not put
the Army to rights, and he had not been able to preserve
the loyalty of his troops. It was every man for himself
in Kabul in those days. Patriotism had gone. Bacha
Sachao ruled by terrorism, and it was unlikely that he

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