Paler and sad grew the face of the Wuzeer as he spoke, for the Afghans greatly reverence all burial-places, which, in their own language, they term "the cities of the silent;" and in fancy they love to people with the ghosts of the departed, sitting each unseen at the head of his or her own grave, enjoying the fragrance of the wreaths and garlands hung there by sorrowing relatives. Almost in the centre of the plain, midway between where the burial-grounds lie and where the cantonments were, flowed the Cabul river; and a mile or two brought Denzil and his guide within hail of an advanced picquet of the 54th Native Infantry, now posted at the bridge. There the former was safe, and with many expressions of thanks and gratitude, he parted from the Wuzeer. He was informed by the officer in command of the post, that spies had told the General of Ackbar Khan being in the vicinity of the city; and that in consequence, all European residents had been ordered to repair for safety, within the shelter of the cantonments. White in the moonbeams he could see the walls of General Trecarrel's villa, which, being under the guns of our fortified Camp was, as yet pretty safe; and he looked towards it with such emotion as a lover who is young and ardent, alone can feel; for Rose he knew was there; and after all he had heard at the Mosque of Baber, his heart swelled with anxiety, and a longing desire that she and Mabel, and all their friends, were elsewhere, in some place of greater peace and security. "To-morrow I shall tell her of my narrow escape," thought he; "my darling--my darling--how I love you! and how nearly you were losing me!" CHAPTER XI. "ONLY AN ENSIGN." Providentially for us, none in this world know what a day, or even an hour may bring forth; so Denzil, when next morning he dressed and accoutred himself, could little foresee the many stirring events that were to crowd the next twelve hours, and in which he was to bear a part; as little could he foresee the sorrows that were in store for him, ere for the last time, as the event proved, he laid his head on the pillow in the Afghan fort; for next day was to see the whole forces concentrated in the cantonments. Polwhele was absent on patrol duty, and Bob Waller had gone abroad unusually early. Denzil's intense longing to see Rose Trecarrel and to revive the memories of yesterday was mingled with a conviction of the necessity to see her father, that he might take him to General Elphinstone or the envoy, to whom he was most anxious to report all that he had heard and seen overnight in the Mosque of Baber; but Trecarrel was absent (as a sepoy on duty at the gate of the villa informed him), having gone to the Bala Hissar with a strong cavalry escort, as the turbulence of the people rendered all the roads and streets unsafe--a state of affairs sufficiently proved to Denzil already.