a second shot brought the horse of the second Afghan to the ground. Urging the wounded officer to continue his course to the British ranks, he engaged in a hand-to-hand fight with his dismounted adversary, and, after a sharp encounter, succeeded in disabling him; then, catching the horse of his first assailant, he mounted it, overtook his own horse with its burden, and returned with it triumphantly to his regiment. The officer’s thigh was broken, and he would undoubtedly have been killed, had he not been rescued by the gallantry of the brave young Corporal. CHAPTER XXVI. A PACKET OF LETTERS. IT will be remembered that the members of the female Vehme-Gericht had dispersed after having deputed Lady Lavinia Gathercole to despatch a letter to the Duchess of Ribblesdale. This she accordingly did, and in fact for some time her Grace was positively overwhelmed with letters, which, along with their answers, are here inserted as nearly in due order as possible. The Palace. DEAR DUCHESS OF RIBBLESDALE, The more than _maternal_ solicitude which your Grace has from the first exhibited towards _the Last Importation_ into our hitherto eminently _Proper_ Coterie, imposes on me the painful task of informing you that the _Young Person in question_ is altogether unworthy of your countenance and regard. She was this day descried by two unimpeachable witnesses, as well as by _the General Public_, walking in the Royal Park of Bushey hand in hand with _a Horse Soldier_, and with his arm unblushingly placed around her waist. These Persons were afterwards seen embracing each other on _the Public Turnpike_, and in immediate propinquity to no less than _Six Pleasure Vans_, filled with a crowd of Londoners of _both sexes_. When I add that this revolting scene, which, for the credit of the Morality of our Common Nature, I trust was altogether unexampled in the annals of _Brazen Effrontery_, was ocularly witnessed by our friends Lady M’Adam and Miss Helen Scheimes, your Grace, I feel sure, will appreciate the _Extreme Gravity_ of the situation, and will not hesitate to pluck out the _Viper_ which you have inadvertently cherished in your too-confiding bosom. I am, my dear Duchess, your Grace’s faithful servant, LAVINIA GATHERCOLE. _P.S._--Such occurrences as these are indeed calculated to impress one with the conviction of the unregenerate condition of the _Mass of Mankind_. Scarcely had the Duchess had time to read the above precious epistle, when Gilray entered the room, and placed another letter in her hands. It ran as follows:-- H. C. Barracks. MY DEAREST MOTHER,