CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.
WILD PIKE.
Before breakfast on the following morning, Scarfe, in fulfilment of a long-standing engagement with a college friend to spend a day with him, rode off to catch the train at Overstone, and consequently was not present when the post arrived, and with it a telegram from London for Mr Rimbolt.

Raby, who had been on the watch, could scarcely allow her uncle time to examine its contents before claiming it; and had it contained bad news, the chance of breaking them would have been out of the question.

But it did not contain bad news.

On the contrary, as Raby devoured the few official lines she became radiant with pride and happiness.

The telegram was a copy of a dispatch received the evening before at the War Office:-- "News is to hand of a sharp brush with the Afghans on the 4th inst.