The regiment grew very angry, and
one rifle-thief bears the visible marks of their anger upon him to
this hour. That incident stopped the burglaries for a time, and
the guards were reduced accordingly, and the regiment devoted
itself to polo with unexpected results; for it beat by two goals
to one that very terrible polo corps the Lushkar Light Horse,
though the latter had four ponies apiece for a short hour's fight,
as well as a native officer who played like a lambent flame across
the ground.
They gave a dinner to celebrate the event. The Lushkar team came,
and Dirkovitch came, in the fullest full uniform of a Cossack
officer, which is as full as a dressing-gown, and was introduced
to the Lushkars, and opened his eyes as he regarded. They were
lighter men than the Hussars, and they carried themselves with the
swing that is the peculiar right of the Punjab Frontier Force and
all Irregular Horse. Like everything else in the Service it has to
be learnt, but, unlike many things, it is never forgotten, and
remains on the body till death.
The great beam-roofed mess-room of the White Hussars was a sight
to be remembered. All the mess plate was out on the long table -
the same table that had served up the bodies of five officers
after a forgotten fight long and long ago - the dingy, battered
standards faced the door of entrance, clumps of winter-roses lay
between the silver candlesticks, and the portraits of eminent
officers deceased looked down on their successors from between the
heads of sambhur, nilghai, markhor, and, pride of all the mess,
two grinning snow-leopards that had cost Basset-Holmer four
months' leave that he might have spent in England, instead of on
the road to Thibet and the daily risk of his life by ledge, snow-
slide, and grassy slope.
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