committing outrages at one station, are reported to
be riding on to another twenty miles distant. At the latter, Captain
Brentwood's home, Alice happens to be alone. When the terrible news
comes to her young lover, he is at Baroona, which by the shortest road
is ten miles from Brentwood's. What start have the bushrangers had, and
will they arrive before him?

Sam's noble horse, Widderin, a horse with a pedigree a hundred years
old, stood in the stable. The buying of that horse had been Sam's
only extravagance, for which he had often reproached himself, and
now this day he would see whether he would get his money's-worth out
of that horse or no.

I followed him up to the stable, and found him putting the bridle on
Widderin's beautiful little head. Neither of us spoke; only when I
handed him the saddle, and helped him with the girths, he said, 'God
bless you!'

I ran out and got down the slip-rails for him. As he rode by, he
said, 'Good-bye, Uncle Jeff; perhaps you won't see me again'; and I
cried out, 'Remember your God and your mother, Sam, and don't do
anything foolish.' Then he was gone....

Looking across the plains the way he should go, I saw another
horseman toiling far away, and recognised Doctor Mulhaus. Good
Doctor! he had seen the danger in a moment, and by his ready wit had
got a start of everyone else by ten minutes. The Doctor, on his
handsome, long-bodied Arabian mare, was making good work of it
across the plains, when he heard the rush of a horse's feet behind
him, and turning, he saw tall Widderin bestridden by Sam, springing
over the turf, gaining on him stride after stride. In a few minutes
they were alongside of one another.

'Good lad!' cried the Doctor. 'On, forwards; catch her, and away to
the woods with her! Bloodhound Desborough will be on their trail in
half an hour. Save her, and we will have noble vengeance!'

Sam only waved his hand in good-bye, and sped on across the plain
like a solitary ship at sea. The good horse, with elastic and easy
motion, fled on his course like a bird, lifting his feet clearly and
rapidly through the grass. The brisk south wind filled his wide
nostrils as he turned his graceful neck from side to side, till,
finding that work was meant, and not play, he began to hold his head
straight before him, and rush steadily forward....

One