CONDUCTORS AND THEIR WIVES. 
pretended not to Rave seen her, and told the whole 
story to the master of the estate^ whom we had gone 
to visits and who in a very neighbourly and gentle- 
manly manner, declared his readiness in giving up the 
runaway. So it was all arranged, that nothing 
was to be said on the subject, until the conductor 
himself should suddenly pounce upon hj^s loving spouse, 
unawares, and secure her. Next morning the man was 
informed where his wife was, and how his counten- 
ance did brighten up, he actually laughed, for would not 
he catch her now, ‘®oh! that his tongue had been cut 
out before he accused master, accuse master ! And it 
was master who had found her for him I’* As 
no doubt his spouse would prove refractory, four 
coolies were requested to assist him in her capture, 
which request was granted. How the seizure or cap- 
ture was etfeoted, we never heard, or took the trouble 
to inquire. But as we were smoking a pipe in the 
verandah after breakfast, a cavalcade was seen marching 
along the estate roads and as it passed the 
house, we saw carried . on the shoulders of four men, 
the conductor’s wife ; two coolies sustained the feet, 
and two the shoulders, one would never suppose there 
was life, so mufh lively life and spirit, in the appa- 
rently lifeless burden they bore, her arms hung down, 
seemingly powerless, her head was thrown back, eyes 
shut, mouth open, and the long hair, almost dragging 
on, and sweeping the ground below. The conductor 
himself brought up the rear, apparently in great glee and 
spirits, flourishing a stick he held in his hand and 
giving the coolies in front periodical instructions | just 
before passing by, the culprit seemed to have roused 
herself for a final effort, probably for an appeal to 
the master, for she struggled and screamed out, but 
the conductor stepped quickly up, and tied a red cotton 
pocket-handkerchief tight round her mouth. All the 
working parties on the estate were stopped, and they stood 
gazing at the party as they marched along. The servants 
came running out of the kitchen, and ran round the 
corner of the road to look. All the women, children, and 
eick people in the lines, stood out in front and gazed, in 
fact a great number of the kankanies, and we suspect, 
favorite coolies too, boldly left the working places, and 
rushed, to see and hear the news. So that by the 
time the conductor had his wife housed, there was 
quite a crowd standing in front of his house. We took 
no notice of all this, being determined to keep quiet, 
and not stir up any more mud, in hopes that every 
thing would settle down. The next day, all was peace 
and quietness. The conductor was at his work, more 
active than ever, his wife was at her usual avocations, 
she swept out his house, washed and boiled rice, cooked 
the curry, and went on in general, as if nothing had 
