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fell　upon　them　now。　　Nevertheless；　as　I　have　said；　hardly　a　word　was
spoken。　　The　poor　woman；　finding　that　the　heat　of　her　cloak
increased　her　sufferings；　threw　it　open　again。

〃Fanny；〃　said　her　husband；　〃you　had　better　let　him　protect　you　as
well　as　he　can。〃

She　answered　him　merely　by　an　impatient　wave　of　her　hand；　intending
to　signify　that　she　could　not　speak；　but　that　in　this　matter　she
must　have　her　way。

After　that　her　husband　made　no　further　attempt　to　control　her。　　He
could　see；　however；　that　ever　and　again　she　would　have　slipped
forward　from　her　mule　and　fallen；　had　not　the　man　by　her　side
steadied　her　with　his　hand。　　At　every　tree　he　protected　her　knees
and　feet；　though　there　was　hardly　room　for　him　to　move　between　the
beast　and　the　bank　against　which　he　was　thrust。

And　then；　at　last；　that　day's　work　was　also　over；　and　Fanny
Arkwright　slipped　from　her　pillion　down　into　her　husband's　arms　at
the　door　of　another　rancho　in　the　forest。　　Here　there　lived　a　large
family　adding　from　year　to　year　to　the　patch　of　ground　which　they
had　rescued　from　the　wood；　and　valiantly　doing　their　part　in　the
extension　of　civilisation。　　Our　party　was　but　a　few　steps　from　the
door　when　they　left　their　mules；　but　Mrs。　Arkwright　did　not　now　as
heretofore　hasten　to　receive　her　baby　in　her　arms。　　When　placed　upon
the　ground；　she　still　leaned　against　the　mule；　and　her　husband　saw
that　he　must　carry　her　into　the　hut。　　This　he　did；　and　then；　wet；
mud…laden；　dishevelled　as　she　was；　she　laid　herself　down　upon　the
planks　that　were　to　form　her　bed；　and　there　stretched　out　her　arms
for　her　infant。　　On　that　evening　they　undressed　and　tended　her　like
a　child；　and　then　when　she　was　alone　with　her　husband；　she　repeated
to　him　her　sad　foreboding。

〃Harry；〃　she　said；　〃I　shall　never　see　my　mother　again。〃

〃Oh；　yes；　Fanny；　you　will　see　her　and　talk　over　all　these　troubles
with　pleasure。　　It　is　very　bad；　I　know；　but　we　shall　live　through　it
yet。〃

〃You　will；　of　course；　and　you　will　take　baby　home　to　her。〃

〃And　face　her　without　you！　　No；　my　darling。　　Three　more　days'
riding；　or　rather　two　and　a　half；　will　bring　us　to　the　river；　and
then　your　trouble　will　be　over。　　All　will　be　easy　after　that。〃

〃Ah；　Harry；　you　do　not　know。〃

〃I　do　know　that　it　is　very　bad；　my　girl；　but　you　must　cheer　up。　　We
shall　be　laughing　at　all　this　in　a　month's　time。〃

On　the　following　morning　she　allowed　herself　to　be　lifted　up；
speaking　no　word　of　remonstrance。　　Indeed　she　was　like　a　child　in
their　hands；　having　dropped　all　the　dignity　and　authority　of　a
woman's　demeanour。　　It　rained　again　during　the　whole　of　this　day；
and　the　heat　was　becoming　oppressive　as　every　hour　they　were
descending　nearer　and　nearer　to　the　sea　level。　　During　this　first
stage　hardly　a　word　was　spoken　by　any　one；　but　when　she　was　again
taken　from　her　mule　she　was　in　tears。　　The　poor　servant…girl；　too；
was　almost　prostrate　with　fatigue；　and　absolutely　unable　to　wait
upon　her　mistress；　or　even　to　do　anything　for　herself。　　Nevertheless
they　did　make　the　second　stage；　seeing　that　their　mid…day　resting
place　had　been　under　the　trees　of　the　forest。　　Had　there　been　any
hut　there；　they　would　have　remained　for　the　night。

On　the　following　day　they　rested　altogether；　though　the　place　at
which　they　remained　had　but　few　attractions。　　It　was　another　forest
hut　inhabited　by　an　old　Spanish　couple　who　were　by　no　means　willing
to　give　them　room；　although　they　paid　for　their　accommodation　at
exorbitant　rates。　　It　is　one　singularity　of　places　strange　and　out
of　the　way　like　such　forest　tracks　as　these；　that　money　in　small
sums　is　hardly　valued。　　Dollars　there　were　not　appreciated　as
sixpences　are　in　this　rich　country。　　But　there　they　stayed　for　a
day；　and　the　guides　employed　themselves　in　making　a　litter　with　long
poles　so　that　they　might　carry　Mrs。　Arkwright　over　a　portion　of　the
ground。　　Poor　fellows！　　When　once　she　had　thus　changed　her　mode　of
conveyance；　she　never　again　was　lifted　on　to　the　mule。

There　was　strong　reason　against　this　day's　delay。　　They　were　to　go
down　the　Serapiqui　along　with　the　post；　which　would　overtake　them　on
its　banks。　　But　if　the　post　should　pass　them　before　they　got　there；
it　could　not　wait；　and　then　they　would　be　deprived　of　the　best　canoe
on　the　water。　　Then　also　it　was　possible；　if　they　encountered
further　delay；　that　the　steamer　might　sail　from　Greytown　without
them；　and　a　month's　residence　at　that　frightful　place　be　thus　made
necessary。

The　day's　rest　apparently　did　little　to　relieve　Mrs。　Arkwright's
sufferings。　　On　the　following　day　she　allowed　herself　to　be　put　upon
the　mule；　but　after　the　first　hour　the　beasts　were　stopped　and　she
was　taken　off　it。　　During　that　hour　they　had　travelled　hardly　over
half　a　league。　　At　that　time　she　so　sobbed　and　moaned　that　Arkwright
absolutely　feared　that　she　would　perish　in　the　forest；　and　he
implored　the　guides　to　use　the　poles　which　they　had　prepared。　　She
had　declared　to　him　over　and　over　again　that　she　felt　sure　that　she
should　die；　and；　half…delirious　with　weariness　and　suffering；　had
begged　him　to　leave　her　at　the　last　hut。　　They　had　not　yet　come　to
the　flat　ground　over　which　a　litter　might　be　carried　with
comparative　ease；　but　nevertheless　the　men　yielded；　and　she　was
placed　in　a　recumbent　position　upon　blankets；　supported　by　boughs　of
trees。　　In　this　way　she　went　through　that　day　with　somewhat　less　of
suffering　than　before；　and　without　that　necessity　for　self…exertion
which　had　been　worse　to　her　than　any　suffering。

There　were　places　between　that　and　the　river　at　which　one　would　have
said　that　it　was　impossible　that　a　litter　should　be　carried；　or　even
impossible　that　a　mule　should　walk　with　a　load　on　his　back。　　But
still　they　went　on；　and　the　men　carried　their　burden　without
complaining。　　Not　a　word　was　said　about　money；　or　extra　pay；not　a
word；　at　least　by　them；　and　when　Arkwright　was　profuse　in　his　offer；
their　leader　told　him　that　they　would　not　have　done　it　for　money。
But　for　the　poor　suffering　Senora　they　would　make　exertions　which　no
money　would　have　bought　from　them。

On　the　next　day　about　noon　the　post　did　pass　them；　consisting　of
three　strong　men　carrying　great　weights　on　their　backs；　suspended　by
bands　from　their　foreheads。　　They　travelled　much　quicker　than　our
friends；　and　would　reach　the　banks　of　the　river　that　evening。　　In
their　ordinary　course　they　would　start　down　the　river　close　upon
daybreak　on　the　following　day；　but；　after　some　consultation　with　the
guides；　they　agreed　to　wait　till　noon。　　Poor　Mrs。　Arkwright　knew
nothing　of　hours　or　of　any　such　arrangements　now；　but　her　husband
greatly　doubted　their　power　of　catching　this　mail　despatch。
However；　it　did　not　much　depend　on　their　exertions　that　afternoon。
Their　resting…place　was　marked　out　for　them；　and　they　could　not　go
beyond　it；　unless　indeed　they　could　make　the　whole　journey；　which
was　impossible。

But　towards　evening　matters　seemed　to　improve　with　them。　　They　had
now　got　on　to　ground　which　was　more　open；　and　the　men　who　carried
the　litter　could　walk　with　greater　ease。　　Mrs。　Arkwright　also
complained　less；　and　when　they　reached　their　resting…place　on　that
night；　said　nothing　of　a　wish　to　be　left　there　to　her　fate。　　This
was　a　place　called　Padregal；　a　cacao　plantation；　which　had　been
cleared　in　the　forest　with　much　labour。　　There　was　a　house　here
containing　three　rooms；　and　some　forty　or　fifty　acres　round　it　had
been　stripped　of　the　forest　trees。　　But　nevertheless　the　adventure
had　not　been　a　prosperous　one；　for　the　place　was　at　that　time
deserted。　　There　were　the　cacao　plants；　but　there　was　no　one　to　pick
the　cacao。　　There　was　a　certain　melancholy　beauty　about　the　place。
A　few　grand　trees　had　been　left　standing　near　the　house；　and　the
grass　around　was　rich　and　park…like。　　But　it　was　deserted；　and
nothing　was　heard　but　the　roaring　of　the　congos。　　Ah　me！　　Indeed　it
was　a　melancholy　place　as　it　was　seen　by　some　of　that　party
afterwards。

On　the　following　morning　they　were　astir　very　early；　and　Mrs。
Arkwright　was　so　much　better　that　she　offered　to　sit　again　upon　her
mule。　　The　men；　however；　declared　that　they　would　finish　their　task；
and　she　was　placed　again　upon　the　litter。　　And　then　with　slow　and
weary　step　they　did　make　their　way　to　the　river　bank。　　It　was　not
yet　noon　when　they　saw　the　mud　fort　which　stands　there；　and　as　they
drew　into　the　enclosure　round　a　small　house　which　stands　close　by
the　river　side；　they　saw　the　three　postmen　still　busy　about　their
packages。

〃Thank　God！〃　said　Arkwright。

〃Thank　God；　indeed！〃　said　his　brother。　　〃All　will　be　right　with　you
now。〃

〃Well；　Fanny；〃　said　her　husband；　as　he　took　her　very　gently　from　the
litter　and　seated　her　on　a　bench　which　stood　outside　the　door。　　〃It
is　all　over　now；is　it　not？〃

She　answered　him　by　a　shower　of　tears；　but　they　were　tears　which
brought　her　relief。　　He　was　aware　of　this；　and　therefore　stood　by
her；　still　holding　her　by　both　her　hands　while　her　head　rested
against　his　side。　　〃You　will　find　the　motion　of　the　boat　very
gentle；〃　he　said；　〃indeed　there　will　be　no　motion；　and　you　and　baby
will　sleep　all　the　way　down　to　Greytown。〃　　She　did　not　answer　him　in
words；　but　sh