The Jungle Girl

ng courage,

at and

quire who

he grey

Pigstick

auburn hair under the sun-helmet. Then turning away and picking up her whip she left the dressing-room and, passing the door of her husband's bedroom where he lay still slee

the adjutant of the 180th Punjaub Infantry,

nd the ponies will be round in ten minut

light of an oil lamp Raymond was eating a frugal breakfast of tea, toast and fruit, the chota hazri or light meal with which Europeans in the East begin the day. He was dressed in an old shooting-jacket, breeches and boots; and as he ate his e

it a cheroot before Wargrave c

he newcomer. "But a year's leave in England

while he ate Raymond lay back smoking in a long chair and looked almost affectionately at him. They had been friends since their Sandhurst days, and during the past t

of a happy and light-hearted disposition that made him as liked by his brother officers as by other men who did not know him so well. In his regiment all the native ranks adored the young sahib, who was always kind and considerate, though just, to them, and looked more closely after their interests than he did his own. For, like most young officers in the Indian Army, he was seldom out of debt; but soldierly hospitality and a hand ever ready to help a friend in want were the causes rather than deliber

f the year's furlough in England from which he had returned the previous day he had remained heart-whole; although several charming girls had been ready to share his lot and more than one pretty pirate had sought to make him her prize. But he had been blind to them all; for he was too free from conceit to believe that any woman would concern herself wi

nine dangers in England for his friend sudd

with any woman at home, have you? Not got e

ave l

a. "Far too hard up to think of such an expensive luxury as a

't you?" asked his friend, with

fun, flying. I wish I could afford a 'bus of my own. Then I had some yachting on the Solen

get any

as all very well; but I was very envious when the regiment came here and you wrote and told m

u're not following a wretched little animal that runs for its life, but a ga

ope we'll have the luck to

under-that is, a herd-of wild pig in a nullah about seven miles the other side

es, won't it?" asked Wargrave anxiously. "Eight

ll find his horses waiting there for us. Rawboned beasts with m

harajah must be

t admiration. He rules his State admirably. He commanded his own Imperial

ed at Mess last night he appears

regiment are free to go out with him. When we can travel by road he sends his carriages for

d we get pigsticking here. I've always longed for it, but neve

or without it life in Rohar would be too awful to

. "It was a shock to learn that, after forty-eight hours in the

in a camel train over the salt dese

are off the sand nearly killed me.

he whole State, besides those of us in th

Resident,

his State badly. I shouldn't imagine that our fellow here, Major Norton, would be much good as an adviser to anybody. The only thing

his wi

She's a decidedly pretty woman. I haven't seen much of her; for she has been away most of the

deadly place for a young woman. No amusements. No dances. No shops.

y; for she generally comes out pigsticking with us, though she doesn't carry a spear. I've promised to t

the bungalow leading two ponies, a Waler and an Arab. Raymond walked ove

"See if it suits you. You

n balanced i

, old chap, how does one go for

inted and held with stiffened arm. Your impe

s, comprising the little cantonment, above which towered the dark mass of a rocky hill crowned by the ruined walls of an old native fort. On either side of their route the country was flat and at first barren. But, as they neared the capital, they passed through cultivation and rode by green fields irrigated from deep wells, by hamlets of palm-thatched mud huts w

in gay dresses and bright-coloured puggris, or turbans, with gold or silver-hilted swords hanging from their belts, sat on their restless animals behind the Maharajah, a pleasant-faced, athletic man in a white flannel coat, ridi

pe we're not late. Let me present Mr. Wargrave of

Maharajah leant forwar

rave," he said, "and very pleased to see you o

" replied Frank, shaking his hand. "I'm awfully anxious to try

is command of English was perfect. "Pigsticking is not

e saddle, addressed another officer of the reg

here now, Ca

y fellows are the last,"

gentlemen, w

d the British officers, together with the crowd of nobles, officials and mounted attendants, followed at a smart pace. The city was now waking to life. From their windows the sleepy inhabitants stared at the party, mostly too stupefied at that hour t

o the route lay through fertile gardens and fields. Then suddenly the cultivation ended abruptly on the edge of a sandy desert that, seamed with nullahs, or deep, steep-sided ravines, and dotted with tall

oolness soon vanished; and Wargrave, soft and somewhat out of condition after his weeks of shipboard life, wiped his streaming face often before the guiding sowars threw up their hands in warning and vanished slowly from sight as their sure-footed horses picked their way down a steep nulla

e noticed a smart grey Ar

with us," observed the Maharajah looki

nting to a rising trail of dust on the track b

draw near, until they could see that it wa

rave admiringly. "I hope she'll see the

he joined the waiting group. Wargrave looked with interest at her, as she sat on he

ontrasting with the warm auburn tint of the hair that showed under her sunhat. Her complexion was dazzlingly fair. Her mouth was rather large and voluptuous with full red lips and even white teeth. Bewitching dimples played in the pink cheeks. Even from a

le to the ground and on foot looked as graceful as she did whe

d in a dainty leather gauntlet she

n to have been in England so lately. I haven't seen it

this," he waved his hand towards the horses and the op

tres, the dances? And then the shops and the new fashi

arajah

g in; and the shikaris (hunters) tell me that the nullah swarms

boars are pursued, sows and i

fused to surrender the advantage of his proximity to her. So it was into his h

he quarry. Forming line they moved through it with shrill yells, the blare of horns, the beating of tom-toms and a spluttering fire of blank cartridges from old muskets. The riders mounted and, spear in hand, eagerly watched their progress

e, stride away over the sand with a peculiar bounding motion that reminded Wargrave of a rocking-horse. All eyes were turned towards the

t of the chase as was the man on its back. Like a cavalry charge the riders thundered in a mad rush behind His Highness, whose faster mount carried him at once ahead of the rest. He soon overtook the boar. Lowering his spear-point the Maha

ajah's right rear, saw to his mingled joy and tre

cried Mrs. Norton a

g vainly at the horse's iron jaws. But the boar had short shrift. With a rush Ross closed on it and before it could swerve off sent his spear deep into its side and, galloping on, turned his ha

steps, then stumbled and fell heavily to the ground. The hu

the eye of an expert. "About thirty-four inches high, I think. B

ness, I think s

hy to the rider whose spear fir

Norton, riding up to him. "I thought you were sur

d the subaltern. "As I've never been out after pig before I didn't quite know what to do. Ho

he Maharajah. "There are several boars left

the scrub and climb the far bank of the ravine, where he stood safely out of reach but in full view of the tantalised hunters. But a string of laden camels passing over the deser

jah raised

!" he

swept in a body over the sand and he found himself for a moment besid

ey galloped along. Their Maharajah's speedier mount again took the lead; but even in India sport is democratic and his nobles, attendants and soldiers all tried to overtake and pass

then another, then a third and a fourth, found himself almost upon the quarry and bent down with outstretc

orse, and with a fierce grunt dashed under it and leapt up at it with a toss of the head that gave an upward thrust to the long, curved tusk. In an instant the horse was ripped open and brought crashing to the ground, pinning its rid