Year: 1874

Harry, she gasped, in strange, harsh
cracked voice and, as started and looked
up from my work, there was my wife COM
ing toward me, with her arms stretched out
her eyes fixed, and horrible, ghastIy look
upon her white face, that made me drop my
spade and run to meet her. ! caught her
just az she was falling, when her eyes closed
and she gave shiver that seemed to shake
her whole body.


This was soon after we had settled out in
the country, and there was only another hut
here and there In those days; but, after
years of knocking about at home, trying TO
get an honest living and never succeeding,
we had to make up our minds to try Austria.
liza, and here we were. living in a log hut |
had knocked up for myself, shepherding, and
doing what little l could in the shape of
gardening; for that being my trade, with all
the beautiful rich soil lying fallow it did seem
to me sin moi to have turn at it; 50, get
ting what seeds could from Sydney, and
adding to the few had in my chest, man
aged to make quite little Eden of the bit
of land l broke up around our hut. We
were not saving money, not to any extent,
but there was roof over our heads, and no
rent to pay, lots of vegetables of our own
planting, and not costing anything, plenty of
work to do and, one sort and another, always
plenty to eat; so that after what we had gone
through in England, you may be sure we
were willing to put up with such nconven-
| fences as fell to our share, and, as matter
of course, there were things to encounter out
there in what some people would call will
derness that blossomed like a rose. There
were times when we were in dread of the
blacks, who had done some very queer things
here and there about; then the place was
terribly lonely, and out of the way if you
wanted doctor; and Marry used to Joke tne
because never could get pint of beer, but
| found could get along just as well without
it, and, my word, what capital cup of tea
VIC had out there.


Well, Mary came out to me that day
looking SO horribly ghasty that, being natur-
ally too fast at fancying troubles in advance,
| saw directly half a score of blacks coming
to spear us, and some of them knocking out
the children's brains with their clubs-and
not the first time either, but in few mo-
ments the poor girl opened her eyes, and be-
gan to stare about her. There were no
blacks to be seen. Little Joe was sitting in
the path playing, and, though looked along
the edge of the wood behind the house, |
could see no signs of danger, so began to
see she must have been taken i'll, and turned
over in my own mind how should get help
for her.


Just then her face grew contracted again
as her thoughts seemed to 60 back, and gasp
ing once more, Harry, Harry" she gave
another shudder, and said, "the baby-a
snake!"


could not see myself, but l know l
turned ps le. all the blood seeming to rush to
my heart, for if there is anything which am
afraid it is a snake, even going 80 far as to
dislike eels, of which there were plenty in
the river, close at hand.


don't know how got there, but the
next thing remember was standing at the
hut window, with Mary holding little Joe
tight in her arms, and me looking through at
the cradle where our little thing of nine
months old was lying and my heart seemed
TO be turning to ice as | saw nestled at the
foot of the cradle, partly hidden by the
blanket, but some of its horrible coils in full
sight. and its head resting upon them, the
largest snake had seen since had been in
the country. The feeling was something
awful, and | stood there for few moments
leaning on the hoe had caught up, not able
to move, for my eyes were fixed on the head
of that hideous beast, and | expected every
moment that the baby would wake and make
some movement sufficient to rrtate the
snake, and then felt that the little thing
must die,


What should I do? I asked myself as
the horrible feeling of hopelessness wore off,
If crept in and reached the cradles side un-
heard, dared not chop at the beast for fear
of iniuring the child, for l could see that
some of the folds lay right across it, dared
not make noise, lest the next moment the
child should wake as well as the reptile, for
knew the rapidity with which the reptiles
could wreathe fold after fold around the OBJ
ject they attacked; while if of a poisonous
nature they strike in an instant. Thoughts
came swiftly enough, but they were unava
ing, for to wait till the baby woke, or to go in
and attack the snake, seemed equally dan
gerous. Even if l mode slight noise the
danger seemed as great, since, though the
snake might wake first and glide off. The
probabilities were just as great that the child
might wake at the same time.


And so l turned over the chances again
and again, my eyes all the while fixed upon
the two sleeping occupants of the cradle
the baby's pl sasant warmth had evidently
attracted the reptile.


6" went in and saw it there" whispered
my wife; and, then, without taking my eyes
for an instant from the snake, whispered
the one word Gun" and she glided from
my side.


did not know then, but she told me after
ward, bow she had carried the little boy to
distance and given him some flowers to play
with, while she crept back to the hut, and,
reaching in at the kitchen window, brought
me my gun, for had not stirred. And
now, as I grasped the piece in my hand,
knowing as did so that it was loaded, it
seemed of no use, for l dare not fire; but
Nth tranohlino hands felt in nv r,ock Ata IN