The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-03-21

SKINS one loot advanced, as If he had
stopped in The act of stepping across it,
and long heavy gun, just swinging down
to the level, bearing on me. OF course.
my heart leaped into my throat, and my
flesh shrank and crept. Before I could
think of raising my gun, my eyes met
those of this strange figure; and such
eyes. Surprise al their cold, unnatural
expression. suspended my action; burn
ing with chill, singular brilliancy, in
deep-sunken sockets, they looked as if
they never winked. Dwelling steadily
upon my face for moment, they seemed
TO be satisfied, and the gun was slowly
thrown back upon his shoulders; and
plucking at LONG grisly beard with an
impatient gesture of his bony hands, and
the figure male stride across the trail,
without speaking word plunged into
the ,hicket. was so COMPOUNDED by this
curious dumb show, that he was nearly
concealed in the brush before found nv
tongue TO shout 10 him to stop; but he
kept on, not even turning his head.
was provoked, and spurred my horse in
after him as far as ! could penetrate, but
he kept on, and | lost sight Of him in a
moment, and whether he can talk at all
or not, is more than can tell
Did you look at his feet, Henry ? in.
terrupied one Of the party. i expect it
was old
Never mind what you expect-here
me out he continued. Il followed the
trail, which wound about, it seemed 10
me, towards all the points Of the COM
pass, for an hour or more; when at last
it led me out into prairie which thought
recognized. | stopped, and was look
ing around to make out the landmarks,
when horse with saddle on burst from
the woods behind me, and tore off across
he prairie, as if he too had seen the dew
ill.,
What color was he 2 exclaimed half
dozen voices IN breath.
He was too far off for me TO distin-
guish more than that he was dark horse
say about so much SO as mine. |
could distinguish the pummle of the sad
die and the s,irrups fyingr
'Stoner's horse was dark bay was
buzzed around the table in low tones, ev-
cry one looking seriously in his neigh
boris face.
'Yes' said the Squire, rising and step
ping uncasly to the window. 'Sloner's
horse was good dea! like yours he
must have got away from him, and tina,
is what detains him. But then the nag
was very kind creature, and trained. |
wonder it should have behaved so y
Don't believe bay would have done it,
Squire said one Of the men. Some
things gone wrong, think Was the
bride down, Henry 2
1T was too far of for me TO tell.
followed in the direction this horse took,
and soon found myself here and expected
to find it here ,oo'
NO! Stoner's is beyond here said
the Squire. That wagon trail you were
turning and twisting about in. is rnad
had opened TO number of board trees we
cut and rived out there; you might have
followed it for hours and not been more
than mile or SO from the place you start
ed from. That ghost Of yours, by the
way, may be some crazy fellow, who has
wandered of into these parts with mis-
chief in him Did you hear no gum
Il thought did--about an hour after
parting with that man, or devil, or what
ever he was--bu. the sound was so faint
and distant, that, for fear | might be mis-
taken, | did not 60 to it; and the road
had turned so frequently, | could not tell
whether it was in the direction he went
off or not
Here the driver interposed, saying
that he had heard rifle about that time
on the right but supposing it to be Henry
or Sloner, he though, nothing of it. And
a half laughing discussion followed as to
the probable character Of the wood ghost
Henry had reported of-some asserting
that he was quizzing us-fcr these men
were too much accustomed TO the exigen-
cies Of hunters lille to be for more than
a moment seriously affected by the cir
cumstance Of Stoner's non.arrival. In
The mids, Of this a horses feet were heard
galloping up to the door, and a loud Hi.
!oa! followed. The Squire rose hastily
and went out. In moment after he en-.
tered, looking pale and excited.
Tom Dix Zone of S.oner's neighbors)
says that his horse has come without a
rider, the reins upon its neck, and clot
Of blood upon the pummel of the saddle !!
Boys he's been shot! Just as I sus.
pec,ed from the frs,n
EyeryhoIy rose Al this announcement