shooting the centre file through the chest, who fell dead instantly, and
lodging his other bullet in the shoulders of the horse of the file on
his right, bringing both steed and rider to the ground, the latter
underneath, his leg being crushed by the fall. So sudden and unexpected
was the attack, that the two men who were riding immediately in rear,
unable to check their speed in time, their horses stumbled and both
their riders were thrown. They were, however, not much hurt by their
fall and were soon in their saddles again. The dead and wounded men were
removed to some soft grass on the side of the road. But this delay,
short as it was, enabled Arthur to reload and shift his position, which
he did by rapidly passing under the bridge to the opposite side of the
road, being too good a soldier to neglect this opportunity.

"Forward!" shouted the Russeldah. "Follow me! I will soon unkennel the
foe. May the grave of his fathers be accursed, and his bones be burned,"
and, after uttering this anathema, he drove the rowels of his spurs into
his horse's flanks, springing him, at least, two lengths in advance of
his followers, and making a dash for the bush from whence the smoke of
the rifle was seen to issue. But ere the scoundrel reached it, a bullet
from Arthur's rifle went crashing through his brain. A second brought
another to the earth with a broken thigh bone. The others reined up in
time to avoid the accident they had before experienced. On finding their
leader to be quite dead, and only five of their number fit to carry on
the contest, they consulted together as to the expediency of any further
pursuit; besides, they could not understand being attacked from both
sides of the road. They had seen no one cross, and never dreamed of the
passage under the bridge, and imagined there must be others concealed in
the jungle. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Arthur returned the
way he came as quickly as possible, and, mounting his horse, regained
his beloved Edith, who had witnessed the whole affair. She was about to