The campaign. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1866, 1866-10-12
A SIX ETCHING ADVENTURE.

"A bJh IL SiIi ~ Al - lJ4h j I ~ II.
"IsN'T it beauty?" was my greet
ing as ] strollcd one morning into the
saloon of our little inn.
Isn't what bcauty?" answered |.
"This pistol. Elliot bought it in Day
onne yesterday for my birthday pres
ent. l think it's the very prcttiest lit
tie thing of the kind ever saw in my
life; isn't it, Mr.. Campbell ?"
My dear Mrs. Hardinge," I replied,
amazed, "what in the world put it into
your head to want a pistol? What non
sense! who do you suppose is going to
hurt you?"
81 don't know, maybe no one, nor
nothing, and l daresay it's very silly {;
bat when Pm out sketching or walking
by myself miles away from home, l
fancy shall feel moro comfortable if |
have some sort of protector with me,
although l don't suppose l shall ever
meet with anything dreadful, OF course,
or shouldn't go alone"
Well" said I, after minute exam
ination, " it certainly is a perfect little
affair. Take care you don't shoot your
self, that's all :" and with laughing
promise on her part to "try not" we
went Nus different ways for an hour or
two, to prepare as usual for the cXpcdi-
tions of the day.
What blind moles we are! How lit
tie did either she or imagine that be-
fore another day dawned her life would
hang on the way She used that little
revolver; that in II few hours her fate
would be to meet that something
dreadful" 20 lightly spoken of Just
now, to conquer it, or die one of the
most horrible deaths possible to be con-
ceived!
We were IA very happy portie qwarree; !;
Elliot Hardingc and her wife ; |, John
Campbell, and mine. We had got tired
OF the coast OF Biscay, whore we had
spent the early part of the Winter, and
taken to the little villages among the
Pyrenees, where there was very good
fishing, and occasionally plenty of shoot
ing besides. Our wives sometimes ac-
e0mpanied us on cur excursions, but
very often mine, who was rather an in
valid, remained at home, while Mrs.
Hardinge, Il perfect slave to her color
box, would go out alone, sketching,
leaving Elliot and me to our own devil
ces.
Thus it had been arranged for the day
in question. Elliot, his wife, and | start
ed all together; but we two left the la
dy at the entrance of Il small valley
which ran at almost right angles with
the tract of country we intend shooting
over, in passing which one day she had
fancied some particular view or another
would make good subject for Il pic
ture, and determined to take advantage
of the warmth Of this unlucky Friday
to have long days work there. Ac-
cordingly, we bade each other good-by,
and went our separate ways. She, of
course, went armed with her revolver
and plenty of ammunition 4" for who
knows" quoth she laughing, but that
i may have to kill Il giant or two before
j return
At this point Of my story l must
change places with Mrs. IIardnge, and
let her tell her own tale as she told it
TO us long afterward, when she had in
come measure recovered from the horri-
bic effects Of this terrible day.
"The weather." said she, "was so
delicious, and the scenery so beautiful,
that, instead of sitting down ut once 20
my work, wandered on, always bcliev-
ing / could cap the present view with
the one | should get by just climbing
the brow Of the next hill; this one
led 10 another, and this one to still
another; and | had only just begun
u find out that / had strayed much
further than l had intended, or than,
indeed, was quite safe at this time of
year, even though | had a grand new
pistol to take care of myself with,
when l awakened to the very un-
pleasant fact that the sun was rapidly
disappearing behind the high noun
tains to the west, and that | should
soon have only moonlight to help me
find my way back again. OF course,
sketcllng was now qulte out of the
question, and / turned round somewhat
anXiously to see what way-marks /
could remember 10 have passed ia tho
morning. lMrkily, though long, the