ain. It generally took
four or five hours to go the rounds, and I humbly remained outside each
fort, only catching distant glimpses of the frowning guns as I sat on an
Arab steed at the entrance, and tried to look military. One day, another
Colonel, whose horse was pining for that exercise which his somewhat
indolent master felt disinclined to give him, suggested that I should
ride his grey charger and "take the devil out of him." I couldn't see
any devil in the horse when he was brought round. He was apparently calm
and sleepy, and tolerated me for about ten minutes. Then, without any
warning, the brute swerved round, and bolted back at a mad gallop in the
direction of the village. His mouth was like cast-iron, so I soon gave
up pulling at it. The gallop was exhilarating. Why trouble to stop? So I
simply sat well back, and awaited events. I hadn't to wait very long. We
cut round a corner, and dashed up a muddy lane leading to the stables.
Ten yards ahead of me, I suddenly noticed a thick telegraph wire
stretched across the road, a little higher than a horse's shoulders,
which had evidently been diverted from its original uses by an ingenious
but unprejudiced Turkish soldiery for the purpose of suspending their
washed shirts. Rip! rip! Z--z--z--z! as I ducked to the saddle-bow, and
something scraped across my back with a sound as of rending garments.
When I was able to reflect, I found the horse standing almost asleep in
the yard, with my soldier-servant respectfully holding my stirrup in his
hand. "Shall I sew up the back of the Effendi's jacket?" he placidly
remarked; and the incident terminated.

* * * * *

[Sidenote: Also another.]

On the second occasion, I was badly scared. I reached Montreal one hot
summer night before the English steamer started. She was timed to leave
at three in the morning, and all passengers had to be on board the night
before. It was so hot that I was nearly suffocated in the close harbour.
When I went down to my cabin I left the door open, put my purse and
watch at the foot of the bed, under the mattress, and tumbled off to
sleep. There was no light in the cabin, as the steamer was moored
alongside the wharf. When I awoke, I lay quite still for a moment,
vaguely conscious of impending evil. I could hear someone breathe in the
darkness--stealthy steps--then a hand groping lightly about feeling for
my throat. It rested there for a moment. There was a momentar