Year: 1870

Iu6 6uOII IhllBnl WIS pdSt5 anu lHO ESoif
were looking down calmly upon the scene
of the afternoons bloodshed. Though bu
shortly before, dusky figure after dusky fig
ure might have been seen gliding from treC
| to tree or darting across some open spot
! yelling and brandishing spear or club, nov
all was silent, save at times the distant low
ing of some of Samson's cattle or the bleat
ing of sheep. Now and again, too, would
come the barking and bowling of the dog'
/ that had been driven away by the fierce
native onslaught; one of those raids made
upon the settlers, whom they looked upoI
as usurping their land.


Samson Harris seemed utterly prostrat
ed by his agony of soul, for again and agair
almost incessantly-he Kept picturing Il
himself the child he accused himselI o.
negleciing, struggling in the hands of the
blacks. He would have gone to seek hel
now, mad as the act would have been, IL
the darkness of the night, surrounded az
( they were by enemies, but for the prayers
/ of his wife, and their only hope seemed tC
be that poor Mary had taken alarm and
sought for refuge in the scrub, which eE
| tended for some distance in one direction.
This. he knew would be but an act of folly
if she had been seen, for they would have
I
with the greatest of case; their prayer was
that she might have taken the alarm in
time. Anderson and his companion had
had very narrow escape at the station
they occupied some few miles from Sam.
sons house, but bold front and a daring
charge had enabled them to combine theil
forces, so, as Anderson had hoped, to be Of
some protection to Mary Harris, for whom
L 1, ,fl L. GokI
long entertained warm feeling of admira-
ton.


There was chance that under cover oi
the darkness, Mary might thread her woy
amongst the blacks and reach the hut, and
in the hope Anderson stood at the open
door watching the night through, hour af
ter hour, his senses on the stretch. More
than once, too, with Teddy for comp IN
ion, he walked for some little distance
round the hut; but, stumbling over the
body of one OF their enemies, he fell
amongst the bushes with 20 loud crash
that he was glad to retreat, and stand
watching once more at his post.


An inspection after the afternoon sstrug-
gle had proved that, beyond a few. scratch
es, the defenders of the hut had escaped
unharmed; and but for the fearful anxiety





have hopefully looked for the morning,
ready to meet their enemy again with renew
ed courage. Provisions they had in plenty,
if needs were, for weeks. Ammunition,
too, showed no signs of running short, till
Samson opened little keg, to find that the
powder it should have contained vas pow
der no more, but one hard mass, into which
it had been turned by the dripping from
n. 1C - !
from one to the other in grim silence. the
men examined their powder TASKS, to find
that he who was most wealthy possessed
but charges beyond the one in his rifle.


"Will they attack again tomorrow" was
the oft repeated question. One thought
they would for revenge, and neverrest con-
tent until all within the hut were destroy.
ed; another was of the opinion that they
would be too demoralized and that the
morning light would find them all miles
away; but this last supposition was too full
of hope to be believed in. Anderson and
Harris rarely spoke, but while the others,
fearless in the knowledge that natives nev.
er attack by night, slept heavily, they
watched on, repeating to themselves, as
they pictured the solemn silence of the vast
woods around, the camp of the natives and





and again


"Where was Mary?"


III.


Watching the long night through witt
straining. eyes constantly directed at every
spot that seemed never SO little darker thar
the night itself Bush, tree, farming i'm
plements, all in their turn were magnifieC
into enemies, performing the same duGe:
as tie inmates of the hut, and waiting tC
spy out their weakness and the best place
for the morrow's assault. But as the night
wore on, and the Eatchful stars still shed
their peaceful light, change came ovel
the wakeful ones, and the objects that haC
before been looked upon as enemies, were
taken for the figure of her whose absence
had created such a void in more than one
heart But though Anderson started hope
fully again and again, androused the sleep
ing black by his side, there was no rust
ling, gliding step, no eager, light form o.
the fair young girl, who, with beating
heart, had threaded her way amid her sleep
ing enemies, and now bounded toward the
hut for shelter.


Anderson groaned, and could have tori
his hair; SO, disappointed, feverish and
restless he once more walked round the
hut, listening attentively for some sound
where all was still as in the vast regior
around, even to solemnity. But in vain
and could he have done SO he might have
sought in sleep that rest and refreshing his
jaded body needed.


Morning at last; first, the pale, pearly
gray; then the far up faint pink tinge
then the blushing, glowing clouds; ther
the gorgeous golden arrows darting to tn,
zenith ;and lastly, as if with bound, came
the glorious sun himself, to beam upoI
the earth with smile, as though all wert
peace, and sorrow was a thing unknown
| But there was neither rest or peace, foI
with series of frantic yells the blacks
again showed themselves, crying, leaping
dancing, shouting, partly to alarm thei
enemies, partly to work themselves up II
the fighting pitch. Their faces were streak
ed with a kind of red ochre and pipe clay
while upon the little bark shields they car
ried, grotesquely hideous human faces wert
| depicted, to intimidate those whom they
attacked. Nude, save for the opossum skin
strip knotted loosely round their loins, the
once more came boldly up to their attacl
upon the hutt hurting spear and boomer
ang-those singular weapons, which, fail
ing to strike the object aimed at, return Il
the thrower's hand.


There was nothing for 1t, So far tn
inmates were concerned, but to fire till tn
last bullet and grain of powder should b.
expended, and then trust to such weapon
as they could muster for close quarters
giving up being a question never ono
mooted; and now, as shot after shot wa
fired, it was pitiful to see the effect in tn
bright red spot or long cash in the flesh
where bullet had struck obliquely. Bu
when fighting in defence of life, men hav
but little compassion for those who woul
rob them of the gift, and it was with grin
feeling of satisfaction that savage afte
savage was seen to fall, till tall, DARN
fellow had dashed up to the hut, clappe
his hand on his chest. leaped into the al,
and fell motionless, when Anderson threI
down his rifle, saying, "That's the las
charge"


A gloomy silence ensued Men gaze
from one TO the other; then fixed long an
anxious looks upon those who had bee
their leaders in the fight, as if expectin
them to hit upon some plan Of escape froI
the death that seemed imminent. No
they swept the approaches to the hut, j
hopes that some strong party of settler
might be on the way to them, either boun
for new station, or knowing them to b
attacked, with a mission for their rescue
But in place where fresh face was nc
seen once in three months, they knew we
that such succor was next to impossible.
/ Mrs Harris Datient and calmer than an,