Year: 1867

tired of watching, dr0wsy from the eff
fects of wine, and trusting to the Grip
pied state of the robber, gave way to
sleep; even old Kador, who was one of
their number, aud the most watchful,
thought he might venture to snatch an
hour Of rest.


On hearing the snoring of the guards
the hope OF escape flashed through the
mind of Alec: bnt how to break his
bOnds-for one or two efforts told him
that even with his enormous strength


the thick palmetto cord was not to be
conquered


Now, he remembered, there was


large fiat slab of stone in the centre Of
the hut, upon which the bowl of somets
had been placed, and the sides of which
had been finely cut: so, creeping to


wards it, he patiently rubbed the cord
against the sharp edge of the stone,
until he had completely sawn through
1t, and his hands became free


With little dagger, which he eau
tlously removed from the belt of one
of the sleepers, he cut the cords that
bound his feet: then tearing off part
of his turban, and creeping towards
the giimmering lamp, dipped the rags
in the oil, and bound his mutiated feet.
9 Now, muttered be, [ escape or die
but first let me have revcngcr SO,
crawling towards the old Kador, the
cause Of all his present suffering, he
suddenly placed his iron fist on the
mouth of the old man, and with the
other hand plunged the dagger into his
perfdiOus heart.


All was quiet without-both dogs
and men were alike overcome with
the plentiful bounty of the sheikh: so,
stealing along snake-hke through the
village, he descended towards the river.
which at some haIf-miIe from thence


ran its rapid course towards the sea


lie soon reached it, and having
quafted cOpious draught, he plunged
into the stream, laying fat on his back
and allowing the rapid current to car
ry him whittier it listed


Alec, having foated a long way down
the stream, made for the shore, and
lay some hours in the wet reeds, week
from loss Of blood, excitement, and fi-


tigue.


During this time, however, he had
dressed his wounds with the herb call.
ed Tserbil, which grows in marshy
ground, and which he had fortunately
found near the waters edge, and its
cooling qualities tended much to re


lieve his aching feet. AS the evening
set in, he again started on his painful
Journey, crawling on his knees and
hands which, after a few miles of
such travelling, were reduced to al


most as wretched a state as his mutt


lated feet-and he was again obliged


to seek a hiding place, until he could


recover strength and heart to continue
his journey.


Thus did he labor on for five long
days; and had it not been for the
scraps of bread taken from the hut of
the sheikh, he would have died of hun


ger. On the morning Of the sixth day


be reached his own hut. A horrid
stiffness prevailed; and cold chill
came over him, as with a trembling
voice he called upon his wife: but no
answer was returned Alas, where


was she who used to welcome the rob


Der with tears Of gladness? Again he
called with Il louder voice, 'Rahmana,


where are you? No reply gladdened


his ear. Gasping for breath he enter


ed the hut, and there lay the corpse OF


his poor wife, and on her cold bosom


an infant dying from want of nourish
ment.


Thy curse, 0 God, is on me- he


cried, and well have l deserved it =


But why, o cruel fate, was | not per


mitted once again to see my wife while


yet alive, and ask her forgiveness p


And my poor child too-alas! alas p


Alec passed long, long night Of
agony, bemoaning his cruel lot; up


braiding himself bitterly for the in


temperance which had caused all this


misery and bathing with tears the re-.


mains of his beloved wife and child.