The Highland monthly - National Library of Scotland

A Treacherous Friend. 267
1 seized the sword he carried, then dashin^- him to the
:^round, 1 i)ickcd up tlic reins lie had just rchnquished, and
making the animal with a miL^iit}- bound leap forward, 1
soon found myself L^allopini;- on tow ards the friendlies. The
small number of m\- comjxun- who had witnessed m\- act
were so non-plussed b\- its suddenness and its darini;- that
they could on))- stand open-mouthed to i:^aze after me. I
made a detour round the riL^ht wing- of the arm\- of the
friendlies, comini^ up in rear of their centre. I dashed
forward cheerint; them as I went. The}- replied with a
half cheer, half yell, for they at once recoy;nised me as a
Briton, and in one short hour my late comrades were in full
flight." Arthur paused in his recital, and, as he did so, a
cheer, long and loud, ascended through the sacred building-
in which even the clergyman joined with a heartiness which
showed that he also could appreciate the actions of a bra\e
man, though they spoke of bloodshed and death. The t\\ o
officers rushed forward and grasped him warmh' b\- the
hand, while Miss Murra\', with the tears rushing
down her cheeks, gazed lovingh- into his c\es,
though she uttered not a word. " I was wounded
in the engagement," continued Arthur, pointing to
a scar upon his neck which had before escaped
notice, " but I paid little attention to it at the time. Manx-
prisoners were taken, among whom, to m)- surprise, I dis-
covered two of the men who had first captured me. 1
discovered that one of the chiefs could speak English, and
to him I related my ad\-entures, desiring him to accompany
me to Suakim, taking with him the two prisoners alreadx-
mentioned, to which he readih- consented. On arriving
thej'e I sought out the Governor, to whom I told m\- story,
the prisoners referred to supporting my statement in a very
explicit and straightforward n-iaiiner. The Goxernor readil)'
agreed with me it would be better, in order to baffle and
bring to justice the traitor who did nie this great and cruel
wrong, that I should for a time keep m\- re-appearance a
secret. He suppHed me with funds and other necessaries,