A Desert Bride. By Hume Nisbet. (F. V. White and
Co,)-- Ronald MacIvor and Jack Bangles resolve to find the "Peacock Throne" of Shah Jehan, which Nadir Shah is said to have carried off from Delhi. Their adventures begin with a hairbreadth escape from the mutinous Sepoys,—the time of the tale is that of the Indian Mutiny ; they pursue their journey to the North-west. In process of time they take service with an Afghan Prince—a model of chivalrous honour,—who must have been very unlike his countrymen, unless they are much maligned by common report. In his company they go through some startling experiences, and see fighting enough to satisfy the most warlike taste. Finally, they come upon the object of their search,—a matter which Mr. Nisbet dismisses in a somewhat perfunctory manner. As for the "Desert Bride," she is a very shadowy person indeed. The two youngsters are what youngsters should be at their age—blind to the charms of woman—and the " bride " is for their Afghan com- panion, whom, by the way, it was, we think, quite unnecessary to kill. The story has no little spirit in it, but it is not so good as others which we have seen from Mr. Nisbet's pen,—the South African tales especially. Carelessly written it certainly is, or we should not find so very strange an expression as the "female waiting-ladies of the Princess."
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