“How can I possibly cross the yard with that horrible cow and calf and two hideous black buffaloes right in my way?” thought the frightened girl. “I have always been warned not to go near a cow with a calf. I see that the creature is tied, but she looks fierce, and I doubt that there is safe room for me to pass her. What shall I do! what on earth shall I do!” At last Alicia called out in her best Urdu to the girls, “Send man animals take away,” enforcing her demand by signs; but neither words nor signs had the slightest effect. Whether the Hindus understood the lady is a matter of doubt. They certainly took no measures to obey her; they merely saw that she looked frightened, and her misery rather amused them. Alicia saw that she must either go back or go on; the latter course she deemed dangerous, the former dreadfully disgraceful. “I think that there is just room to pass the cow; and as the buffaloes are resting on the ground, I am not so much afraid of them: besides, buffaloes’ horns bend backwards—they do not look made for goring.” Thus reassured, but anxiously watching the cow, Alicia, carrying her bag of books and white-covered umbrella, made a few steps forward. She was only a little afraid of the recumbent buffaloes, but had never calculated on the great clumsy beasts being afraid of her. It was so, however. The animals, who had never seen a European before, started simultaneously to their feet.[1] The terrified girl thought that they were going to make a rush at her, but she gave them no time to make it. Trembling with fright, Alicia fled to the entrance doorway, and through it hurried into her doli, and in an excited voice bade the kahars carry her home. The buffaloes recovered from their unreasonable fright sooner than did the lady. Alicia, extremely mortified at her failure, left her doli a short distance from her home, hoping to be able to retire into the bungalow unobserved. But, as it happened, all the three missionaries were in the veranda, a consultation on some difficult case having drawn them together. “Why, Alicia, where have you been?” exclaimed Harold, who thought his bride too young to be wandering about without escort. “What brings you back so soon?” cried Robin. “I ran home almost all the way, yet have only won the race by a neck. You must have paid the fair, or brown, ladies a very short visit indeed.” “What visit has been paid?” asked Harold. “I just tried to do what you wished,” said Alicia, colouring with shame; “but I found a cow and two big buffaloes in the court-yard, and so—” Footnote 1: The writer herself so alarmed two yoked oxen by her appearance that, with a violent plunge, they freed themselves from their yoke. At another time, passing on the road a large beast led by a man, its restive appearance made her call out to him, “Is it _nat-kat_?” “No; it is _frightened_!” was the reply.