Year: 1871

|


sion We're not pleasant ones.


"In the first place, liked Mr.. Fraser
|, very much, and knew full well thai


he would never have provoked me te


strike him had he not been under the


influence of liquor. But the blow had


been given, and nothing could avert 0


hostile meeting unless / accorded him


an ample abject apologize do which


would have required far more courage


than to fight, for L should have been


stigmatized as coward and complete


ly ostrasized by my brother-officers.


ut was the rainy season, and tOlera-


Dly cool, so when | had finished put


ting my house in ORDER as HowsoD had


advised, / set out for long walk,


thinking that exercise would steady my


nerves, which were somewhat unstrung


by the effects of the potations of the


previous night. EEg


"As 1 strolled leisurely upon my


way, / pondered upon my past life.


thought of how. barely four years be-


fore, l had set out from home full of


hope and ambition, the hope of win


ming name and fame in the profession


L had chosen earnest in my heart; and


now, before L had even flashed my


maiden sword, before was even fairly


launched upon my career, / had placed


myself in such a position that it was


more than probable my hopes, my


zeal, ambition, and my life would be


cut down like a flower! 1 cursed the


enemy man puts lin his mouth to steal
away his brains;' / thought of the
happy home in 'Fatherland' that would


be made desolate by my death 1
thought of the dear loved ones who


would mourn me there, and my heart


was filled with bitter anguish-misery
that was not decreased when reflect
ed that, even if L was spared and my
adversary fell, it would be my hand
that would plunge his widow deep into
a sea of grief and leave fatherless h is
innocent child.


~ was aroused from this bitter train
of thought by the hollow thud of rap
idly advancing hoofs, and, on looking
up, saw a lady, whose face was total
ly unfamiliar to me, vainly endeavor-
ing to restrain a mettlesOme horse she
was riding. The first glance told me
she was skillful equestrian, the Sec
Ond that she was u1acqualnted with
the locality, for she seemed evidently
bent upon taking the fire out of her
steed by urging him forward and to
go forward knew full well meant to
rush headlong to destruction, for right
in that direction lay half concealed 10y
bushes, a deep nullah, or water-course
down which torrent, swollen by the
recent rains, rolled in rushing cataracts
over the rockstrewn bed.


'Turn, madam; turn for your life
there is danger ahead y L cried, as L
rushed toward the point for which she
was heading.


'The lady turned her face, and
saw it was fair as an angel's her SYM
metrical figure showed to full advan-
tage as she used her utmost efforts to
curb her horse, and her hair which had
escaped from tie ribbons that had
bound it, hoated, wave of gold, far
in her wake. | was near enough to
see the bloom of excitement fade from
her cheeks when she heard my warn
ing-near enough to see that the barp
was now beyond her control, and that
a catastrophe was inevitable. 4


"a swift runner, l started forward
at full speed, and gained the brink of
the nullah just in time to see the horse
and its rider disappear from view in
the boiling flood that surged at my
feet. For few seconds l stood para
lyzed; then saw the animal struggle
to the surface, and knew that its rider
had freed herself. There was little
chance of saving her, knew it would
be almost madness to attempt it; but
it flashed across my mind that it would
be better to end life in bold effort to
rescue a fellow-creature, than to meet
death at the hand of my friend of yes
terday. / dofied my boots, my II t |
and coat, and plunged into the seeth-
ing flood. The circling eddies bore me |
downward and onward, but was a |
strong swimmer, and L struck out |
bravely until I gained the surface
gained it just in time to grasp the trail
ing riding habit of the lady L essayed |
to save. L twined one arm around her |
dainty waist, and drew her beauteous !
head, with its dropping fleece of locks, |
upon my shoulder, while the rushing, |
fOamipg torrent, bore us along over |
rocks and bruised and tore our flesh; |
through deep, twilling pools, that
sirove to suck us under, and down steep |
cascades, where the waters broke !
with kissing near, though they merrily |
cleaned and flashed i'll the crimson
glow of the setting sun. Bruised and |
battered 10y the collision with the rocks
the life breath well nigh stifled in my
throat, and my strength rapidly giving
way, yet / clung tightly to the pretty
stranger then unconscious in my arms,
fully resolved that grim Death himself
should not part US. Over another
waterfall the fast flowing flood carried
us, and when We issued from the flying
foam at its foot, to feebly float was all
that could do. My brain was all in a
whirl, all power to resist was fast leav-
ing me, when the current bore us un-
der the bank, at q place where bushes
reached almost to the waters edge. L
grasped a root, but the swift stream
tore le from Lay hold, and | gave up
hope.


"An instant afterward, however, l
found myself caught in the bushes of
tree that had fallen partly across the
nullah, and to it chung with the mad
that love of life alone can
instill in the heart of man. | still held
the lady, clapped her close to me
though l feared she never more would
breathe again. was not one to relin-
quish tine prize l had so strenuously
battled for, so, using what little power
L still possessed, pushed her up and
laid her on well-forked branch ere
struggled on the tree myself.


"At this point the nullah's bank was
low, and only tall trees dotted the plain
beyond its brink. AS / Strengthened
myself | saw, to my exceeding joy,
three horsemen coming swiftly across
the patena. l hallowed loudly, at,
tracted their attention, and they rode
swiftly down when they recognized the
perilous predicament | was in. My
head was dizzy, and l was well nigh
overcome with exhaustion but L man
aged to retain my hold until | felt
pair of strong arms clutch me and bear
me ashore. Then l sank into a deep
swoon.


when ray senses returned, L dis
covered that [ was lying upon couch
in my own quarters, and by my side
was standing Lieutenant Howson.
Two other gentlemen We're seated near
tie verandab, with their backs towards
me.


"Who was she, Ned? Is SIZE dead?
/ asked when l remembered what had
occurred.


''Ere my friend could reply, the two
gentleman had noticed rose from their
seats and came quickly toward where
| was lying. One grasped my hand.
l glanced upward, and saw the COllec-
tor bending over me.


at was my wife, my brave fellow,
and in few days l hope she will ba
recovered to thank you
personally for having SO gailautly res