A FvIUE WITH A MAD HORSE IN A CAR. 227 



had developed themselves, and I saw under what 

 frightful disorder Gulnare was laboring, I put my 

 hand into my pocket for my knife, in order to open 

 a vein. There was no knife there. Friends, I have 

 met with many surprises. More than once, in 

 battle and scout, have I been nigh death ; but 

 never did my blood desert my veins and settle so 

 around the heart, never did such a sickening sen- 

 sation possess me as when, standing in that car 

 with my beautiful mare before me, marked with 

 those horrible symptoms, I made that discovery. 

 My knife, my sword, my pistols even, were with 

 my suit in the care of my friend, two hundred 

 miles away. Hastily, and with trembling fingers, 

 I searched my clothes, the lunch-basket, my linen ; 

 not even a pin could I find. I shoved open the 

 sliding door, and swung my hat and shouted, hop- 

 ing to attract some brakeman's attention. The 

 train was thundering along at full speed, and none 

 saw or heard me. I knew her stupor would not 

 last long. A slight quivering of the lip, an occa- 

 sional spasm running through the frame, told me 

 too plainly that the stage of frenzy would soon be- 

 gin. 'My God!' I exclaimed, in despair, as I shut 

 the door and turned toward her, ' must I see you 

 die, Gulnare, when the opening of a vein would 

 save you ? Have you borne me, my pet, tlirough 

 all these years of peril, the icy chiU of winter, the 

 heat and torment of summer, and all the thronging 



