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ordhers, an' 'tis my mother," he sez, "that would laugh at me for the father av all fools to-day. Does any wan here know an elephint ?" We sick was all quiet.

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"Now you've had your answer," sez the doctor.

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""Hould on," I sez, thinkin' mistiways in my cot, an' I did not know my own voice. "I'm by way av bein' acquaint wid an elephint, mysilf," I sez.

"That's delirium," sez the doctor. "See what you've done, sergeant. Lie down, man," he sez, seein' me thryin' to get up.

"""Tis not,” I sez. "I rode him round Cawnpore barricks. He will not ha' forgotten. I bruk his head wid a rifle."

"Mad as a coot," sez the doctor, an' thin he felt my head. "It's quare," sez he. "Man,” he sez, "if you go, d'you know 'twill either kill or cure?"

""What do I care?" sez I. "If I'm mad, 'tis better dead."

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Faith, that's sound enough," sez the doctor. "You've no fever on you."

""Come on," sez the sergeant. "We're all mad to-day, an' the throops are wantin' their dinner." He put his arm round av me an' I came into the sun, the hills an' the rocks skippin' big giddy-gorounds, "Seventeen years have I been in the army," sez the sergeant, "an' the days av mericles are not

done. They'll be givin' us more pay next. Begad," he sez, "the brute knows you!"

'Ould Obstructionist was screamin' like all possist whin I came up, an' I heard forty million men up the Tangi shoutin', "He knows him!" Thin the big thrunk came round me an' I was nigh fainting wid weakness. "Are you well, Malachi?" I sez, givin' him the name he answered to in the lines. "Malachi, my son, are you well?" sez I," for I am not." At that he thrumpted again till the Pass rang to ut, an' the other elephints tuk it up. Thin I got a little strength back. "Down, Malachi," I sez, "an' put me up, but touch me tendher for I am not good." He was on his knees in a minut an' he slung me up as gentle as a girl. "Go on now, my son," I sez. "You're blockin' the road." He fetched wan more joyous toot, an' swung grand out av the head av the Tangi, his gun-gear clankin' on his back; an' at the back av him there wint the most amazin' shout I iver heard. An' thin I felt my head shpin, an' a mighty sweat bruk out on me, an' Malachi was growin' taller an' taller to me settin' on his back, an' I sez, foolish like an' weak, smilin' all round an' about, "Take me down," I sez, "or I'll fall."

"The next I remimber was lyin' in my cot again, limp as a chewed rag but cured of the fever, an' the Tangi as empty as the back av my hand. They'd all gone up to the front, an' ten days later I wint up

too; havin' blocked an' unblocked an entire army corps. What do you think av ut, sorr ?'

'I'll wait till I see Learoyd,' I repeated.

'Ah'm here,' said a shadow from among the shadows. 'Ah've heerd t' tale too.'

'Is it true, Jock?'

Ay; true as t'owd bitch has getten t' mange. Orth'ris, yo' maun't let t'dawgs hev owt to do wi' her.'

ONE VIEW OF THE QUESTION.

From Shafiz Ullah Khan, son of Hyat Ullah Khan, in the honoured service of His Highness the Rao Sahib of Jagesur, which is in the northern borders of Hindustan, and Orderly to his Highness, this to Kazi Jamal-ud-Din, son of Kazi Ferisht ud Din Khan, in the service of the Rao Sahib, a minister much honoured. From that place which they call the Northbrook Club, in the town of London, under the shadow of the Empress, it is written :

BETWEEN brother and chosen brother be no long

protestations of Love and Sincerity. Heart speaks naked to Heart, and the Head answers for all. Glory and Honour on thy house till the ending of the years and a tent in the borders of Paradise.

MY BROTHER,—In regard to that for which I was despatched follows the account. I have purchased for the Rao Sahib, and paid sixty pounds in every hundred, the things he most desired. Thus, two of the great fawn-coloured tiger-dogs, male and female,

Copyright, 1893, by D. Appleton & Co.

their pedigree being written upon paper, and silver collars adorning their necks. For the Rao Sahib's greater pleasure I send them at once by the steamer, in charge of a man who will render account of them at Bombay to the bankers there. They are the best of all dogs in this place. Of guns I have bought five -two silver-sprigged in the stock, with gold scrollwork about the hammer, both double-barrelled, hard-striking, cased in velvet and red leather; three of unequalled workmanship, but lacking adornment; a pump-gun that fires fourteen times-this when the Rao Sahib drives pig; a double-barrelled shell-gun for tiger, and that is a miracle of workmanship; and a fowling-piece no lighter than a feather, with green and blue cartridges by the thousand. Also a very small rifle for blackbuck, that yet would slay a man at four hundred paces. The harness with the golden crests for the Rao Sahib's coach is not yet complete, by reason of the difficulty of lining the red velvet into leather; but the two-horse harness and the great saddle with the golden holsters that is for state use have been put with camphor into a tin box, and I have signed it with my ring. Of the grainedleather case of women's tools and tweezers for the hair and beard, of the perfumes and the silks, and all that was wanted by the women behind the curtains, I have no knowledge. They are matters of long coming, and the hawk-bells, hoods, and jesses with the golden lettering are as much delayed as

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