“Matammeh has not been carried?”
“Not yet; I suppose it may be soon; everybody seems to expect it. But I don’t see the use now.”
“Why not?”
“Well,” said Strachan, “one hates to be the bearer of bad news, but it must come. The expedition has been too late: Khartoum has fallen.”
The two other officers had come up and heard this, and their faces showed the blank dismay which had fallen upon their hearts, as the words fell upon their ears.
Khartoum fallen! Why, then, what were they fighting for? What was to happen next? All seemed chaos.
“And Gordon?” was the first question which rose to all lips.
“There is no certain news, yet,” said Strachan; “but the rumours of his death are only too probable. He was not the sort of man to be taken alive, I think, was he?”
“No, no!”
“But when did you hear this?” asked Reece.