"Blank verse is like blank cartridge, sir, suitable for reviews and sham-fights--that is to say, for long-winded epics and rigmaroles about nothing in particular; but not for battle pieces, in which you need clink-clank and rum-ti-tum to achieve truly martial effects." "I should like to see what you’ve done, though," said Lawrence. "Well begun is half done, proverb runs; fallacious and tommy rot, sir. I began well; I will exhibit, commending to you beautiful aphorism of some precious and defunct poet now forgotten, namely, ’We may our ends by our beginnings know.’" He drew a roll of paper from his pocket, and moving towards the lighted doorway, spread it before their eyes. This is what they read-- ODE _in celebration of gorgeous defence of gorge by two young English sirs, who with handful of rude mechanicals, dauntless breasts and flying machine, 100 h.p., withstood the mights of twenty thousand Mongols. Written at request of one of aforesaid sirs, Mr. ROBERT APPLETON, Esquire, etc., by DITTA LAL, B.A. Calcutta University._ Here the page ended. Lawrence turned over: the back was blank. "Where’s the rest?" he asked. "There’s the rub, sir. The rest is dispersed through many pages of my note-book, high and dry, pearls of poesy, gems of purest ray serene, waiting leisure and a rhyming dictionary to thread them into perfect and resplendent ornament." "Well, finish it when you have time. You can send it to us, you know." "Registered, sir. I will do so without failings, and earn the meed of melodious tear or two, if not penny a line." Rolling up the paper, he returned to his own quarters, followed by eyes mirthful but compassionate. The campaign in Afghanistan lasted for several months after the check given to the flanking force in the valley. The Mongols having obtained a firm grip of the country around Kabul, it was difficult to dislodge them, though they never succeeded in forcing the passes into India. As the struggle developed, and the British Indian army took the offensive, the Afghans, who had by this time found the Mongols unpleasant guests, and begun to doubt their value as allies, quarrelled with the invaders, and either withdrew into their remotest and least accessible hills, or took sides actively against them. This was the beginning of the end. The horses which, if the early raids had been successful, would have proved a tremendous asset to the enemy, were in a prolonged check in Afghanistan a serious handicap. It became impossible to feed them. The Mongol host lost its mobility, and found itself pent up in a mountainous region where supplies even for the men failed.