[Illustration: Drawn by John Cassel. "Where am I?" she gasped. "What--what have you done with me?"] The Way of an Eagle By E.M. DELL 1911 CONTENTS PART I CHAPTER I.--THE TRUST II.--A SOLDIER'S DAUGHTER III.--THE VICTIM OF TREACHERY IV.--DESOLATION V.--THE DEVIL IN THE WILDERNESS VI.--WHEN STRONG MEN FAIL VII.--THE COMING OF AN ARMY PART II VIII.--COMRADES IX.--THE SCHOOL OF SORROW X.--THE EAGLE SWOOPS XI.--THE FIRST FLIGHT XII.--THE MESSAGE XIII.--THE VOICE OF A FRIEND XIV.--THE POISON OF ADDERS XV.--THE SUMMONS XVI.--THE ORDEAL PART III XVII.--An Old Friend XVIII.--The Explanation XIX.--A Hero Worshipper XX.--News from the East XXI.--A Harbour of Refuge XXII.--An Old Story XXIII.--The Sleep Called Death XXIV.--The Creed of a Fighter XXV.--A Scented Letter XXVI.--The Eternal Flame XXVII.--The Eagle Caged XXVIII.--The Lion's Skin XXIX.--Old Friends Meet XXX.--An Offer of Friendship XXXI.--The Eagle Hovers PART IV XXXII.--The Face in the Storm XXXIII.--The Lifting of the Mask XXXIV.--At the Gate of Death XXXV.--The Armistice XXXVI.--The Eagle Strikes XXXVII. THE PENALTY FOR SENTIMENT XXXVIII. THE WATCHER OF THE CLIFF XXXIX. BY SINGLE COMBAT XL. THE WOMAN'S CHOICE XLI. THE EAGLE'S PREY XLII. THE HARDEST FIGHT OF ALL XLIII. REQUIESCAT XLIV. LOVE'S PRISONER PART V XLV. THE VISION XLVI. THE HEART OF A MAN XLVII. IN THE NAME OF FRIENDSHIP XLVIII. THE HEALING OF THE BREACH XLIX. THE LOWERING OF THE FLAG L. EREBUS LI. THE BIRD OF PARADISE LII. A WOMAN'S OFFERING LIII. THE LAST SKIRMISH LIV. SURRENDER LV. OMNIA VINCIT AMOR LVI. THE EAGLE SOARS "There be three things which are too wonderful for me, yea, four which I know not: The way of an eagle in the air; the way of a serpent upon a rock; the way of a ship in the midst of the sea; and the way of a man with a maid." Proverbs xxx, 18-19. THE WAY OF AN EAGLE PART I CHAPTER I THE TRUST The long clatter of an irregular volley of musketry rattled warningly from the naked mountain ridges; over a great grey shoulder of rock the sun sank in a splendid opal glow; from very near at hand came the clatter of tin cups and the sound of a subdued British laugh. And in the room of the Brigadier-General a man lifted his head from his hands and stared upwards with unseeing, fixed eyes. There was an impotent, crushed look about him as of one nearing the end of his strength. The lips under the heavy grey moustache moved a little as though they formed soundless words. He drew his breath once or twice sharply through his teeth. Finally, with a curious groping movement he reached out and struck a small hand-gong on the table in front of him. The door slid open instantly and an Indian soldier stood in the opening. The Brigadier stared full at him for several seconds as if he saw nothing, his lips still moving secretly, silently. Then suddenly, with a stiff gesture, he spoke.