The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-12-17

reach the verge. In vain he shouted
to Sultan He looked back at the pur-
suing horsemen. No hope of aid there.
Then Tom remembered that a road
led along the brow of the hill, and
finally turned down to the river Raw
at a point where the slope was not so
precipitous Like a flash he formed a
desperate resolve.
"Hold tight. my lad he said. IN
going TO leave you. If it comes to the
worst, jump off before we go over the
bluff Do you understand,
BERTHE nodded. There was grim
and plucky expression on his pallid
face
The next instant an agile spring
landed Raffles on Nabob's back. BY
clinging to the stout harness he
worked his way forward. second
spring carried him over the gap be-
tween the two elephants, and he was
quickly perched on Suitan's neck.
Fortunately the mahoot had left the
prod sticking in the harness. With
this Rallies bella bored the unruly brute,
and strove TO turn him to one side.
He stormed and threatened and called
him by name. For minute of keen
suspense the issue trembled in the
balance. Then, when the dizzy preci-
pice was only a few yards distant,
the left into the road Ratfles waved
his hand at BERTHE.
Stick tight. lad," he shouted.
But the danger was not yet over,
nor had the elephants recovered from
their fright. AS madly as eyer they
dashed along the rough road, at times
swinging perilously near to the outer
verge. In vain Raff1es coaxed and
threatened and piled the prod.
n I,n1r fllo I.tsT1
the turn toward the river, and swept
the heavy gun carriage down the hill
at a frightful speed. BERTHE had all
he could do to keep his seat.
When the bottom of the hill was
reached Raffles vainly tried to turn
the elephants aside. They rushed
|madly forward. and clattered out on
the pontoon bridge which spanned the
river. In mid-stream the frail struc-
ture gave way, and elephants and gun
went through with a tremendous
splash.
A plank struck BERTHE on the head
with such force as to half stun him:
He fioundered helplessly alongside the
struggling elephants, who were sub
merged to their necks. From this
place of peril he was rescued by Rallies,
who caught his collar and swan with
him for shore. The swift current bore
lHel1l uOWH SOIle IliSlduCe, duu WIEN
Raffies finally landed with his precious
charge he was well nigh exhausted.
A score of horsemen were quickly
on the spot-among them Colonel
Stratford, who had been witness of
the whole affair. AS he clasped BERTHE
in his arms he looked at Raffles, and
that look was a source of consolation
in the gloomy days that followed.
OF course the review was spoilt, for
it took the rest of the day to get the
elephants and the gun out of the river.
That night, and for seven succeeding
nights, Raffies slept in his old cell.
Then, instead of appearing before a
court martial, he was reprimanded and
discharged.
He afterwards had a private inter-
view with the colonel and for a whole
year he was the best behaved soldier
in cantonments.
Then the savages of the Chataquay
hills revolted, and Raff1es went eagerly
off to war 1t was little bit of war,
but it was desperate enough for him to
earn corporars stripes and the Vic
toria cross-which had been the ambi-
ton of his life.
Raffies attributes his good fortune
to BERTHE, and he is not far wrong.