Year: 1865

bonfire. Then we'll make love if you
+ choose"


"Come on !" said an impatient voice
don't hold prayer meeting over it."
They then tied their horses to a fence
that ran at right angles to the post against
which | stood, and approached the entrance
still in single file. determined to adhere
strictly to the orders | had received and
waited for the opposite fire. | knew that
my companion would allow the men to ad,
vance little, so that he might not endan-
ger me and it was with a throbbing heart
that | saw the black form Of the first bush
ranger pass between us.


| heard him stumble with an oath over a
cart rut. Then a line of flame cut its alb
rupt short track on the darkness, and the
sound had not passed to echoes before a
shriIl cry followed it, as the villain stag
gered on a few PAGES and fell, blowing up
the dust The light Of the discharge had
just died out, when | heard another snap,
as a sportsman shoots when firing right
and left. | knew that the masters gun
was now useless.


Com on Nix It's the cove himself
! saw him by the light Of the shot his
sting's gone now" And one Of the men
rushed to where my master stood, followed
by his comrade.


had one of them covered, but if | fired
Il heard the noise Of struggling,) | might
kill my master. Thus | stood with the gun
at aim, undecided and half mad The voice
Of the men saying, Dawn, you knife him!'
resolved me, fired amongst them. | saw
some one sink down, but | could not tell
who it was, and, as he appeared to let go
his hold, and rush to the horses, | took a
second hurried aim and fired then | boun-
ded across the entrance just in time to see
the wounded wretch bending over Mr..
Christmas and trying to strangle him. In
a moment the gun was poised and smashed
to fragments on his skull. But we had ex-
posed our strength, and the remaining
bushranger, who believed that he had
stabbed my companion, seized one of the
guns left standing at the fence, and fired
The ball was unpleasantly close, and had
scarce time to know that | was uniniured,
when Red Jim himself was upon me with
the weapon dubbed. | made a rapid
spring at him before the blow could fall
and grappled with him. We rolled on the
ground together With all the force of my
strength resisted his efforts to grasp me
by the throat, and at last his hdeous face
sunk close to mine, and his teeth met be-
meath my chin. l experienced a suffocat-
ing, giddy feeling, and then heard hurried
voices and running feet just as | felt my
grip relax powerless. But the frightful
grasp relaxed too, and Red Jim rose to his
feet and jumped on my chest with all his
force


When I came to consciousness | found
myself in the cheerful parlor and the la
dies hands were tenderly washing away
the traces of the fight Mr.. Christmas had
tainted from loss Of blood, but was not
dangerously wounded.


Red Jim escaped, but his two compan-
ions, neither Of whom were killed. were
given into the safe keeping of the author
tiles, and afterwards hanged


Three years after the affray, Mr. Christ
mas made me his overseer, and finally his
manager. A long time has passed since
then, but yet closer relationship exists
between us. | am writing the tale of my
early experience at the same table where
upon ! saw the Bible on that memorable
night. There is lady who sits opposite
to me- She was the reader of Ivanhoe, the
daughter Of Mr.. Christmas, and she is now
my wife.