CAMELLA OR, AN IGNORANT WRANGLER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXVI, Issue 2911, 12 March 1891, Page 4

CAMELLA OR, AN IGNORANT WRANGLER.

By Mrs L. Frost Rattray (Author of "Bri-itondcll.") CHAPTER Xl—Lkarning To PvIDK. " I am going to ride round the paddocks this morning, Ella, you had better come with me." " On horseback 1 Why Stanley, you know 1 can not ride at all." It was the. day after their arrival, and husband and wife were standing on the verandah, enjoying tho delicious morning air. "Well, it will be a splendid chance for you to learn, as I am going neither far, not fast, and if you do tumble, it will only be on the turf. ' " You are quite sure the horse is perfectly (juie.t 1" "It's like, a lamb." " That is not at all consolatory ! I have seen lambs frisk and jump, and run races in a way that would inevitably land me ou the ground in :i moment, if tho horse attempted any such capers." " Ella, you very recently promised to obey me ; run aud get on your habit. * Do you suppose, darling," he added with tender inflection in his manly tones, " that I would let you risk your life in the least possible way ?" Camella smiled up at him—a trusting loving smile, that would have refreshed tho modern sneerer at domestic happiness as a draught of pure water refreshes the traveller who has lately only drank from brackish or foul streams.

Stanley stooped and kissed the tempting lips, and Ella tripped away for her habit, thinking that after all, life in this glorious sun.shine, with a loving husband, was indeed worth more than all the evanescent triumphs of a concert hall. " Letnie show you how to mount," said Stanley, as a few minutes later, Ella appeared, in faultlessly fitting blue cloth habit, hat and veil and gloves." "Excuse tne," said Mr Tallot, who was holding the lady's horse," but if you go out in that hat round the paddocks, you will got scorched to death. It is not the Eow, you see, and no one will call you peculiar, if you wpar a sensible shady one. " Tallot is quite right, Ella, throw that thing into the creek, and put on a straw hat.'

Camella returned again to her room, and emerged in a more appopriate costume for the proposed rid-ing-lesson. "That's something like," said Stanley. "Now put you foot in my hand, so ; now spring!" And Camella did spring, and Stanley gave such a vigorour jerk, that had not Mr Tallot been on the look out, and caught her, Mrs Taft'erson would certainly have landed on the ground on the other side. Her husband was immensely amused. "Why, Ella,'' he said, "what an acrobat you are ! Have you hcen through a course of training I" " We used to perform all sorts of feats at the gymnasium," she answered, "What make you tilt me up so high V A second attempt proved more satisfactory, and Camella, carefully holding the reiusaecordiiig to orders set our with her husband. " Here, is a nice plai.e for a canter," lie said, as they passed into a large grass paddoek. " Oh, no ! Do wait a bit," cried his wife "I'm not half safe in the saddle." But Stanley was oil', and Camelhi's horse, who answered to (lie name of " Brownie," promptly followed. Utterly unused to riding, poor Camella's first impulse was to hold on, so the seized the pommel, and clung to that, until a hedge barred there further progress, and Stanley paused, to see linw she had got on. " By,love, Ella," he said, "you will never learn to ride if you do that." " I feel as if I were slipping of!'," said Camella. Stanley dismounted, handing his reins to his wife. "Sit firm, and I will sighten your girths," he said. " That feels better, if you please Stanley, do not go so fast. If I am hindering you, I will go back, and practice in the other field." " You are not hindering uie in the least, dearest. Besides, if you did go back, how would you open the gate we have just come through V " I do not know. Oh, yes, T would get off Brownie, and walk the rest of the way." " That would never do. Yon must learn to open gates without dismounting. Why, even the very horses would laugh at you, if you did what you propose." Ilis tone was banteringly good natured, and Camella laughed too. " Well, I will try and be a good horse-woman. It seems absolutely necessarg here." " You area very pretty figure on horse-back any way," said her admiring husband " I want to go over that creek ; will you venture the jump or, will you wait for me here?" Camella did not at all like being left, still less did she like the idea of risking a jump until she and her steed were rather better acquainted •with each other, so she decided to remain where she was. " Shall you be very long!" she asked. " No, not very. You see I am anxious to have a look round myself, to sec how things really are. i had hardly time yesterday. I will gel you to hold my horse, and [ will walk." " Where is the orange plantation you were telling me about V " On theslope, yonder. It's virgin soil, reclaimed from the bush: vis -will go there after I have looked at this land.'' . He lifted his hat in laughing adieu and Ca.mrlla watched his Hying leap

over tin; creek. On tlit; npposit-; hank, ho waved his hand, and disappeared behind the trees. Mrs Talferson sat quite still, firmly "rasping Brownie's rnins and her whip in one hand, whilst the other held Spider's (for that was the name of .Stanley's lanky animal.) A more experienced rider would have held thcni equally firmly, but allowing the horses a little more liberty in the way of moving their heads, and spider presently showed he resented the tight bridle. He made a pliiyful bite at Brownie's ear which he considered was too close to his.

(JainulLi, utterly unused to horses, jerked his rein, where upon he backed against Brownie, who tried to kick in returne. It was very hot, standing there in the .sun, and both animals waged a perpetual warfare against the tormenting flics. At length. Brownie, who was a very shrewd horse, decided that his mistress had no sense to stand in the blazing sun, whilst a little further off, there were some willows which would aflbrd an excellent and grateful shade. So he quietly set off in that direction. Unfortunately, Catnella was feeling in her pocket for her handkerchief; and to unfasten the little, strap which secured it, had transferred both sets of reins to the one hand. Hence she was was taken at a great disadvantage by this sudden nioveni ent of Brownie's and could only clutch frantically at both reins. Brownie gave his an extra wrench, and pulled them out of the girl's hand, when he promptly ambled off to the coveted shelter. He had, however, failed to perceive that what would allow hitn to stand under in comfort, would not be high enough for his rider, and the branches brushedCauiella's hatoff, thencaught in her hair, and finally, swept her bodily from her seat. Fortunately, she had flung off Spider, when her hat went, or he might have trampled on her; and had extricated her foot from the stirrup so that she only dropped gently on to the grass. Her cry of, " Stanley," when she found Brownie was beyond her control, had reached her husband's ears, as he was returning from his survey, and he hurried towards her, thinking ho had been rather stupid not to have tied his horse up, as Catnella was such an an inexperienced horsewoman. " Ella ! Ella !" he exclaimed in terror, as he saw her fall to the ground, " Are you hurt 1 On my darling, speak to me f Camella tried to rise as he bent down, but she was entagled in her habit, and could not stand. Stanley was still more alarmed ; then he discovered she was laughing heartily. "I am not the least bit hurt, Stanley, but so dreadfully ashamed of myself. Was it not cute of Brownie to get rid of me like this V ,; I expect he went under here for the shade. This is the paddock he has been in lately, Tallot says, and of course he knows all the best places in it. Ah! you wicked Brownie, do you see what you have done ?' The intelligent animal, detecting tho reproachful tone, hung itshead, until Carnolla put her arms round its neck, saying, "Naughty Brownie; so you thought you had a city lady to deal with, did you ?'' " Will you mount again, Ella, or are you too shaken V " I am not in thu least frightened or hurt, and I will certainly mount now and learn to canter too. They were soon off on another, investigating tour, and Ella thoroughly enjoyed her morning, until she began to grow rather tired. The sun made her head ache, and when she was lifted from her horse, she discoved that that was not the only ache she had. " I feel as if I had been whipped," .'-he said to her husband as he helped her up the steps, " properly flogged all over over, my knees especially." "You must lie down and rest after lunch," he said. Very gladly, she carried out his suggestion, and soon fell asleep, not waking till a sound of several voices talking in the hall, roused her. Who could it be 1 Surely not visitors so soon 1 [To lie foiitiitttcil.)