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CH. XII.] we quickened our pace, I heard a scream; and, looking round, saw the poor creature in a most alarming situation: the girths of her saddle had given way, being so predisposed to do, perhaps, by the late effects of the fall, which had snapped, but not entirely broken, them asunder: such, however, was now the fact, and the saddle, being deprived, as a counsel would say, of its special retainers, was going upon a circuit very prejudicial to the interest and safety of the plaintiff in the case, and whose suit had, already, suffered so much by false colouring as well as by bar of process. I slackened my pace as quickly as I could; just in time to save her from falling: she fell, however, upon my off shoulder; and, in this position, with her arms about my neck, we continued our fearful course for some minutes. I might, perhaps, have checked my horse, but her mule had taken a fancy to gallop, as if determined to make up for the time we had lost. What to determine upon, myself, I did not know: to