THE TEXAN HUNTRESS. 309 



aware at the time, more than vaguely, in what good and an- 

 cient company I lay in my disgusting envelope ; all I could 

 know about it was that I went to sleep very soon, and slept, 

 Heaven knows how long ! and awoke with the pain gone ! 



The old man released me, and leading me, entirely nude, 

 out-side the door, astounded me by dashing a bucket full of 

 the coldest water upon my person, which was reeking with 

 perspiration, and before I had fairly recovered from the effects 

 of this, it was followed by another and another. 



This primitive sort of treatment had a wonderful effect ; 

 and when I again dressed, I almost thought myself born again, 

 so free did I feel from the distressing consequences of my 

 fall. I found in attempting to move about that there was 

 still some stiffness in my leg, but it was so slight as not to be 

 a matter of much importance. The bruises were gone, and 

 the circulation of the limb temporarily restored in a great 

 measure, and that was certainly miracle enough for the pre- 

 sent. 



Though the acute pain had been entirely banished by this 

 novel process, yet, of course, the entire restoration was yet 

 slow. The muscles and tendons had been seriously strained 

 and injured by the weight and struggles of my horse, but, 

 bathing the parts in cold water, as was directed by the old 

 man, always soothed any painful return of inflammation. 



There was a clear, beautiful spring in the rear of the 

 house, underneath the huge live-oaks composing the mott. 

 Here I limped several times a day to apply the simple resto- 

 rative. The little brook made its shining way through the 

 high grass down the slope, and at some periods of the day, 

 glanced prettily in the sun from beneath the green tangles 

 that drooped and met over it. The scene was very pleasant ; 

 for, seated on the mossy roots in the cool, dense shade, I could 

 just trace its glimmering way by glimpses through the neavy 

 draping of moss which depended nearly to the ground. The 

 stillness, mildly stirred by the faint ripple, was so lulling, 



