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CHAPTER X LINE OF ACTION Soon after his arrival in Khost, Marshal Mohammad Nadir Khan sent letters to the tribal chiefs telling them that he had come to work with them in turning out the Bacha, and to do his best in restoring peace and order and thus saving Afghanistan from ruin and destruction. He asked them to assemble in a certain place and hold a meeting where these problems and the future line of action should be discussed. On the 13th March—the 1st day of Id—all the tribes went to the golf links to توپ زنده say their prayers. After the ceremony, the Marshal got up and made a very pathetic رقت بار speech, telling them that that Id was the most unlucky day for the nation; a day of lamentation rather than of festivities. He explained to them all that had come to pass and the annihilation that threatened the nation. He asked them to lay aside their tribal jealousies so that they might be able to turn out the brigand whose very name was a disgrace to the nation, and had already lowered the 103