Waiting For Her—A Mesmerists' Story.

ready the light trap I had seen in the coach-house just as they had gone , the four greys darting away with one bound as John lightly touched the off leader on the flank Avith his Avhip , and the guard bleAV his bugle merrily as they dashed off through the streets and out on the hard

frozen high road , on their way to the modern Babylon 1 Perhaps some presentiment of evil unlocked for , unforeseen . Perhaps only the fear arising from the very perceptible condition of the driver Avhen he got on to his boxand ' handled the ribbons . '

, " It Avas a quarter of an hour , however , before we started , and it Avould be only by hard driving that Ave could catch the Highflyer , ' one of the fastest and most famous coaches of those clays . I kneAV that about ten miles from Reading on the

London Road , the high road turned an angle sharply OA'er the low bridge Avhich just at this point spanned a tributary of the Thames . The stream Avas Avide here , and shallow enough to be easily forded in summerbut after the recent rains Ave had

, had , and the frost only now setting in , I kneAV the place to be a dangerous one , even to the most wary traA'eller , and doubly so , when as in the present case , it Avas very doubtful Avhether the bridge Avas not in an unsound state from the rottenness of the

timbers of which it was principally composed ; and the condition of the coachman gave me also great uneasiness . "' Now , my man , hurry on , ' I said to the lad , half stable boy , half groom , Avho was driving me , ' I'll give you a crown if Ave catch them . ' ' All rightsirAve'll do

, , it , ' he ansAvered . ' Go it Bess , ' he continued , to the horse , a young mare it Avas , I remember , touching her sharply with his whip . She answered with a bound , and set off at a fast trot , Avhich , had it continued , would have soon brought us up Avith the

object of our anxiety . ' * We AA'ere UOAV three miles out 01 Reading going nine good miles the hour . The Highflyer did ten , but then she Avould probably stop at M— , a little village about eig ht miles from Reading , the lad said ,

as he heard the stout gentleman with the big cotton umbrella say he should get down there . He AVOUICI persist in sitting outside with the guard , because he said , ' He wasn ' t going to be boxed up Avith a parcel of Avonien , though it was a cold nighc . Thank goodness , he had enough of their : at home

Avithout meeting his troubles half way b y seeking them elsewhere , ' he gruffly and not very politely added . ' Mr . Markham , ' that was the coachman ' s name , 'he'll stop , at the " Bag and Feathers , " too sir , ' the lad continued , ' he always does stay for a toothful of " cold Avithout" when he ' s had a drop ,

. "' If you don't mind , sir , ' the boy said presently , ' Ave'll just cut across the common here , sir ; It ' s rather dark , but I knoAv every inch of the way , and it'll save us a goocl three miles , sir , every bit of it . ' " ' All rightmy lad' I said' only catch

, , , the coach before she passes Hammon ' s Corner ( the place I have alluded to ) , and I'll give you another crown . ' "AAvay we Avent OA'er thecommon . ItAvas UOAV pitch dark , a cloudy sky , and the snow lightly falling across the smooth and

hardened turf . At full gallop away Ave Avent for life and death . Presently Ave heard the sound of Avheels , distant at first , but growing painfully nearer every moment . Oh , if they should pass the corner before Ave Avere there . If the huge coach , guided

by the drunken brute who UOAV held the reins ( but Avho was only OA'ertaken at Christmas time , and Avho was famed as the best whip in the three counties , as his apologists averred ) , should SAverve but a feAv inches from the path , it and its precious cargo would be submerged in the now rapid rushing stream , and Milly , my own darling Milly , Avould be clroAvned before

my eyes . " The thought maddened me . Lashing the horse furiously , Ave dashed foi'Avard at reneAved speed , and crossed the bridge just before the mail coach came up . Markham AA'as driving furiously . " One moment more and Ave should have

been too late . "The leader , frightened at the coping stones of the bridge now covered vrith snoAv , and Avild Avith the treatment he had evidently received , UOAV suddenly turned , Avas rushing across the road , making as it Avere for the parapet of the bridge ,

and in a moment the coach , Avhich had been swaying to and fro , Avas dragged forward tinvards the stream , into which it AVOUICI have fallen had not I drawn up across the road , jumped out of the trap , seized the leader , and forced him almost on his haunches , till I had driven back the coach , Avhich had received a check from coming