A WIFE'S PERIL.

Auckland Star, Volume XXVII, Issue 30, 5 February 1896, Page 6

A WIFE'S PERIL.

< St MRS M. nE. HOLMES.

Author of 'A Woman's Lov», Her Fatal Sin,' 'The Tragedy of Bedmounb,1 Etc., Etc.

CHAPTER VII. (Continued.) Time crepb on, there was no sound obhsr than those of Nature sighing in her elosp, Mia troea seemed to breathe, and, as they benb and swayed abova thorn, the passing wind whispered a lullaby. Bat Buddenly Humpy started to his feet, and crept bo the outskirts of fcbe wood. He could hear another aound now, the quick clip-clip of horses' fee*; he cocked his revolver, and stood waiting. Would they pasa by: or would evil Chance liad them to halt. Bab a few momenta ha was in doubt, for dark ■hadowa came toward the place where baerouehed eonsealed } then the foremost palled up. ' 'I'm pretty well done up, he said. •Jack and Humpy had the children with them ; it's impossible they can have pushed on further. I vote to halb tor the night.' All reined in their, horses. Humpy strained his ears to listen ;it was fclmofb a matter of life or death whether they stayed or neb. • I don't fancy bjbey'll have made a long halt, in spite Of the children," another voice said. *If the nugget's worth having, it's worth fagging one's self ouS for. I vote we go oh.* 'So do I.' • And L* • And I.' Voice after voice swelled fcho majority in favour of continuing the journey. Humpy breathed once more. Bad they halted, the chances are that lie would have ' potted ' the lot. He would b*vd one bullet left in case of a misfire ; Still, ii was with decided satisfaction that he watcfe^d them ride off, and heard the sound of the horses' hoofs die away in the distance. He returned! slowly to the others, and lay down with ullhosb a feeling of security ; but did nob close his eyes till Jack awake naturally, and bade him take his rest. 1 Have you heard anything of thorn ?' he asked. •Yob,' Humpy answered; 'they passed ltd hour ago. •Then there is no longer danger for tonight. Did yo« hear Sandy Luke's voice?' ' i?o ; bub he may have been there. Only four of them spoke.' • Ifa would be almost safe to sleep.' Humpy shook his head ; but it was too dark for Jack to ccc the gesture. • I do nob think ib would bo safe,' he returned. • Then, I will take my watch. Now, Humpy, old man, rest' Up gave his friend his hand fora moment thon, with a gentle push, perstiaded him to lie down. ,' t feel all the better for my nap,' h« said. • Yon musb refresh now, Humpy.' •Yes,' he answered ; ' but I'm not tired, you can sloop on if you like, Jack.' ' No, mo, I've had my share : I shall watcb the rest of tfco night.' So Humpy lay down, and Jack watched; but after a tin* he began to dose. ' The men havo gone by,' he said to himself; ' whafc's the gsod of watching ? I shall nob really go to sleep; bub there can be no hafcm its baring a little nap.' Bub the nap lapsed into profound slumber and Jack slept as peacefully and 28 heavily .%*, though hi had been snug in bed. It was well that Humpy slumbered like a dog with «iae eye opan ; for, jusb as bhe grey dawn began to 'creep over the earth, he heard the sound of borsqs' hoofs ; he sat up nnd lifteibed ; as he did so the noise stopped. He looked at Jack and smiled, at Noel and Miapah, and a look of sweetest genbleness stole over bis face, feheu he lay down again, Hsteding «till, with his long fingerß on his revolver. Sorae one was oreoping through the underg.ro.wth, some one vyho had come alone, and to whom the dawning light had revealed the marks of the horses' hoofs ; once or twice hd paused at fault; but hia quick eyes caught sight of the trampled grass where Humpy's feet bad pressed ib, And ho came onward, till he saw the sleeping group. Humpy never moved, he lay nearest to the coming foe ; he saw, #ith hie half-shut eyes, which the heavy laches shaded so heavily thafe no one could have told ihait he did not sleep, thab Saudy Luke—for Sandy Luke id was—held a gleaming dagger in his band. Hearer the man cam*, until he leaned ©tot thebwnchback, and lifted his gleaming weapon high in the air ; the next moment the sharp sound of a pistol sbofe broke bhe stiilpess, Sandy Luke übtered one piercing pry,, then fell back with the life-blood flowing from the wound in his breast. Jack awoke with a start: •What is it?' he said. ' Nothing mucb,' Humpy answered ; ' we have one enemy t'ue loss, that is all. Sandy Luke has paid us a visit.' • Sandy Luke !He was nob with the (others, then ?' ' No, I suppose nob; probably he was boo greedy to share with any one, so came alone.' ' And you have killed him V • In self-preservation, yes ; ib was nay life or hie. Now, let us push on.' ' Not before i thank you, Humpy,' Jack answered; •we all owe our lives to you. I was fast asleep.' 1 You were bo tired, Jack,' Humpy said ; 1 you wanted rest badly. I think I musb be differently constructed from other men, I need so very little. I will wake tbn children vow.' Mispah and Noel had slept on, undisturbed by the sharp report of Humpy'e pintol. Very gently ho called to them; then, after some slight repaeb had been taken, thoy mounted their horses and started off once more, hopeful at least that they should roach the town in safety, and without further adventure. But, as hope often, indeed generally, tells a Mattering tale, so ibwas in this case. For iome hours *hey rode on quickly and wicbout interruption of any sort. The Aorning air was refreshing and invigorating, the sun shone but weakly through a misty breeze, and the passing wind was cool and plea?aat Mispah and Noel laughed and talked merrily; the first day's ride bttd tired them greatly, bub their sleep in the open air had done them a world of good, and they felfe, ac they laid, as though they could run on leaver. Humpy and Jack were in front now, keeping their eyes open, looking carefully ab every clump of trees, for ib waa more than possible that some one mighfe be bidden in them. However, nobhing of the sorb occurred until they plainly saw, far in the distance, five black shadows coming toward them. 'Tlipy have reaebed the town, havo discovered that we have not yet arrived, and are coming back,' Humpy said. 'What is to be done, Jack ?' Jack cast a quick glance around ; they bad left bhe wooded land, and were crossing some grassy country ; there was positively no place where they could hide themselves. ' We must face it,' Humpy said ; • we are four to five ; eurely wo have a chance.' •You forget that two of our number are children.' ♦No, Ido nor,' he answered ; •we must

ride pasis bhem, our horses are considerably fresher than cheirs, which can gcarcely have been rested at ail; let us ride Indian file, 'the children first.' I First, Humpy !' • First,' ho repeated, firmly; ' the chances aro that; they will miss tih-a first) two, particularly if their own horses are in motion ; bos we must all fire as we pass.' He turned to the children, and explained bo them quickly whab they were to do ; both grew a little pale, nob because thoy feared, bub because they knew their danger. Then Mispah urged her horse forward, and Noel his, come fifteen feet behind her. 'Keep a good space between you,' Jack said ; ' and when I give the word, rida as bard aa you can, turn in your saddle;, and fire as you pass all the chambers of your revolver-, if you have time.' So they rode onward ; the distance between them and their enemies growing less and less every moment. Jack gave the word, the whips were brought down sharply upon' the horsea' sides, and off they started. 'They're going to make a rush for ib,' the diggers eaid ; ' ieb us cub bhem off;' and they spurred their own jaded beasts to intercept them. Mispah pulled her right rein, made a quick circle, discharging her pistol as she did so, receiving at tho same time a bullet in return, which wounded her left arm, but only made her clasp her weapon closer, discharging the remaining chambers full in the diggers' faces. Noel followed suib. passing wlthoub a scratch, and having the additional pleasure of seeing two of their foes throw up their arms, and fall heavily to the ground. " Jack came nexb, passing also scathlesa ; bub Humpy reeled slightly in his saddle, fchough he pulled himself together directly after, dug his spurs in hia horse, and rode swiftly on. For fully a quarter of an hour they did not pauee, then, seeing the diggers were nob following them, they reined in. ' Is any one wounded ?' Jack asked, looking round. Then, catching sighb of two pale faoes : ' Mippah, Humpy, are you ?' 'Only a little,' Mispa'h answered, turning up her loose sleeve, and showing where a bullet had pierced bhe fleshy part of her arm. A libHe stream of blood trickled down. Jack and Humpy were off their horses in a moment; bub the latter reeled and fell, lying motionless upon the grass. I 1 can only bind id up, and givo you some brandy,' Jack said, taking a Bilk Bcart' from his nock, tearing ib, and making a pad over the wound on either Bide, then binding ib tightly with another handkerchief from his pocket. 'Will you be able to goon, dear, do you think?' 1 Yes,' blis answered, speaking bravely and firmly ; ' bub look at Humpy. Oh, X hope—how I hope thab bo is not wounded badly Noel was bending over him, calling to him, as though that would bring him out of a deathlike faints. Jack saw a dark stain upon the breast of hia coat, and threw ib and the übirb open in a moment). He was wounded in his righb lung, and the place was bleeding freely. • This is bad. very bad,' Jack said, kneeling by his side. 'I hardly know whab bo do: if we sbop ib bleeding outwardly, it will probably bleed inwardly.' 'Give him some brandy, dad,' Migpah said; 'he looks as though he is dying.' Jack took bhe flaßk up slowly. 'I hardly know whether I ought to,'ho said, slowly ; ' brandy iucreaeoa the action of the heart, and will aggravate bhe blooding. Bub, ac you say, he looks Uko death. Pub your hand on the wound, Mispab, if you are nob afraid, while I give him the spirit; then I will bandage it tho best I can.' Mispah, wibh a little shrinking, did as she waa told, and Jack poured the brandy down the wounded man's throat; then, giving the girl the flask, ho felt in bia pocket. There was nothing there bub a goft case filled with bobacco. He h«ld oub his hand to his daughter. She, understanding, gave him her handkerchief. He tore it into three strips, bound one round tho tobacco cage, tied tho other two together, placed the pad over the wound, and bound it up tightly. And, though he had no idoa thab ib would acb bo, ib pressed upon one of the main arteries, and stopped bhe flow of blood. Then they waited, anxiously watching Humpy's face, and at length he opened his eyes. Mispah'? hand clasped his, and he smiled. Had he spoken then his thoughts, ib would have bean to bless his wouiid. ' How do you feel now, old man ?' Jack asked, 'Shaky,' he answered, 'The bulJob ha 3 lodged in, has ib not?' 'I'm afraid so.' • And, Mispah,' turning to her, 'you are hurt also?' •A libble,' she answered, 'only a very little. Lie still, Humpy.' ' Bub we muab be getting on.' 'Muab has to give way 'io cannob sometimes,' the girl said, pressing a determined hand upon him. 'We must spend the rest of the day and the nighbhore, at all events. Is thab nob so, dad? Humpy's wound would never stand starting again now, would it?' ' No,' Jack answered ; ' and yeb ib is dangerous staying here. Thero waa only two of bhe men wounded, they will be after us again.' Humpy looked at Mispah wistfully for a momenb or two, then at Jack. ' Go on without me,' he said. ' A likely thing,' Jack returned ; ' no, bo, old friend, we'll stick together for weal or or woe.' ' (,To be Continued. J