The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1847-02-13

~ IdSL IL lcu Out lhlO u pa "iiiNh
thought | recognized. stopped, and
was looking around to make out the
landmarks, when horse with saddle
on burst from the woods behind me,
and tore of across the prairie, as if he
too had seen the devil" yau q.
"What color was heF' exclaimed
halfa-d Oxen voices in breath. ga.
ale was too far off for me to distln-
guish more than that he was a dark
horse-scy about as much so as mine.
could distinguish the pummel OF the
saddle and the strrups fying!" 4"
"Stoner's horse was Il dark bay"
was buzzed around the table in low
tones, every one looking seriously in
his neighbours face.
"Yesm' said the Squire, rising and
stepping uneasily to the window
"Stoner's horse was good deal like
yours; he must have got away from
him, and that is what detains him. But
then the nag was very kind creature.
and well trai med. ! wonder it should
have behaved SOL" ""
"Don't believe "bay' would have
done it, SQUIRE" said one of the men.
'Some things ,yone wrong, 1 think!
Was the bride down, Mr.. Henry?"
"It was too far of for me to tell. /
folIowedi in the dire ction the horse took,
and soon found myself here, and ex-
pected to find ii here too"
"No! Stoner's is buyond here," said
the Squire. "That wagon trail you
were turning and twis ting about in, is
a road | had opened to number OF
board-trses we cut and rived out there !;
you nigh. have followed it for hours
and not been more than Il mile or so
from the place you started Fl ON. That
ghost of yours, by-the-way, may be
some crazy fellow, who has wandered
off into these parts, with mischief in
him! Did you hear no gun?" .-
81 thought | did--about an hour af-
ter parting with that man, or devil, or
whatever he was-but the sound was
so faint and distant, that, for fear |
might be mistaken, did not SO TO il:
and the road had turned so Frequently,
| could not tell whether it was in the
direction he went off or not" .,.
O Here the ''driver' interpo sed, saying
that he had heard rifle about tina,
time on the right, but suppos ing il to be
Henry or Stoner, he thought nothing
OF it. And haIf-laughing discussion
followed as to the probable character
of the wood-ghost Henry had reported
oi--some asserting that he was quiz
zng us--for these men were too much
accustomed TO the exigencies of hunt
er's life to be for more Than moment
seriously effected by the circumstance
of Stoner's non-arrval. In the midst
of this, horses feet were heard gal
Ioping upto the door,and.a '.oud ..Hiloa''
followed. The Squire rose hastily and
went out. In a moment after he enter
ed, looking pale and excited.
"Tom Dix Zone of Stoner's neigh
bors) says that his horse has come
home without ariier, the reins upon ITS
neck, and clot of blood upon the pum-
mel of the saddle! Boys! he's been
shot! Just as | supposed from the frstm
erybody rose at this announce
meut-looking in the face of him oppo-
site with blank psllid stare.
'The crazy man." CALCULATED seve-
raj. "Strange!"--"Very mysterious
business!' said others.
81 tell you WHAT said the Squire
after pause, "has struck me from the
first. 1t is that this strengthening fel-
low Henry saw w,mIstook him for Sto ner,
until he looked into his face, for Hen
ry's horse and general appearance are
not unllGe his,-and when he found
that ne was wrong, got out of the way
and went on lill he met Stoner himself,
and has shot himw
"No doubt of it!' said several.
"But it's very mysterious affair.""
continued he--"I know of nc such
looking man in this region as Henry
desribss; but at any rate he will be
hunted down to-morrow,for Stoner was
one of the Regulators, and Hinch is
perfect blood hound! He can hardly
escape him-crazy or not crazy"
This seems to be the most satisfac-
tory solution Of the difficulty, and as ii
was too dark for US to do anything that
night, we resumed our seats to duscuss
Overland over again there details; while
the Squire sent off a messenger sum-
moning Hinch and the Regulators to
be on the ground early1in the morning!
[coNcLusloN NEXT WEEK. i