The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-08-12


ors, ready to come to an explanation afterwards
with the third. But the Spaniard few to his
horse, and piled the spurs so desperately that
in a minute he was out of sight.
The track-seeker, remaining master of the
field, hastened to liberate the captive from his
bounds, and seizing the horse belonging to one
of the vanquished dragons, placed the rein IN
the hands of the stranger, who sprang lightly
into the saddle. Luz murmured fervent
thanksgiving she saw them approach. The
individual who had been so happily rescued was
an Englishman, named Robinson.
Thanks he said to Andres, ''you have rem
dered a more important service to your coun-
try's cause and to General Teran, than you
might imagine - and after this formal acknowl-
edgement in mysterious terms, he shut himself
up in imperturbable silence.
A few miles further, the calvacade were at
last about to see the houses of Tehuacan in the
moonlight, when the track-seeker, pointing with
his finger, indicated a sight to his companions
that sent q shudder of horror through their
veins.
In field adjoining the road, amidst thick
carpet of alfalfa, across which the moon threw
the shadow of a few pale-leaved olive trees
they saw a man bending over the ground, and
moving, or pretending to NOW the herbage a.
round him. An old gray, felt hat, looped Up
behind, and ornamented with long feather,
concealed his features, while shirt with puffed
sleeves, and short pantaloons tight at the hips,
gave him resemblance to the old portraits by
Murillo, of the time of the conquest.
The travellers were, however, too much agita-
ted to look with composure on this singular ap.
partition of the Midnight Mower. The two
blades of his huge Shears shone between his
hands in the moonlight, as he opened and reclo-
sed them without noise and when-a swarth of
lucerne fell ct his feet it seemed that he search
ed in his pocket and then described a mysteIi-
Gus half circle in the air, with outstretched
hand.
After that, he again went on with his shears,
and ever as before the aLfalfa fell beneath his
strokes.
1t seemed for a moment, in the pale light of
the moon, t hat the track-seeker turned pale
but his expanding nostril and the FIRE of his eve
showed that if fear had taken possession ofhim,
it at least not to the detriment of his infal-
liable sagacity.
'.Kadre di Dios!"' he said in low voice, it's
the Midnight Mower.'
''Indeed!' answered the Erglishman. who
comprehended nothing of the serse of his words
The track-seeker shook his had, and made
no reply; but motioning to his ebmpanions to
remain still, he slid quietly from lis saddle and
threw the bride to Gamboa.
''What are you going to do ?'' asked Luz, ter
rifed
''Hush!" he answered; the next moment he
was seen creeping behind the bushe which bor-
dered the road, until he found himelf in q line
parallel with the mower. The roadwas hollow
and the ground on either side on / level with
the heads of the travellers, so that by little
precaution they could see all that tok place on
the slope, without being observed While An
dres, from the place of his concealnent, kept
his eye fixed on the mower, the latte1again in
terrupted his labor to describe the STANCE cir
Gle in the air. Then, in Il low and stied voice.
he was heard to hum some mysterious chorus
of the other world.
All at once the track-seeker disappeared at
the same moment the mower became Invisible
in the shadow, and behind the trunk of q tree,
ana notnlng more was seen but the snIOt held
and swaths of dewy herbage.
Robinson being altogether ignorant ofihe le-
gend, remained perfectly unmoved; presently
Andres came back with slow and measured
step, and said, as he took his horses bride, 81
did wrong not to take my rifle with me sould
now know what to think of it.
''Of what are balls against phantors ?''
retorted the guerillero, in low tone. Did
you not see how this one disappeared, in site
of all your precautions and skill ?''
''Ah if l had but time l could follow on Us
trail, even if he were a spirit of the air; butto
stop here would be exposing ourselves to shD-
wreck in sight of port, for in few minutes We
shall see the towers of Tehuacan.' As he sal
this, Andres remounted his horse, and the par
ty rode onwards at pace that made up for los
time. The track-seeker, however, remained 81
lent and seemed to be deeply absorbed in
thought.
ssYou do not believe, then, in the Midnight
Mower p. said Luz interrupting his meditations
at is a mower of flesh and bone we!' re-
Piled Andres. s'But what was he really doing
| there ?'
ssPer Dios ~ answered the guerillero," he wa:
moving; accomplishing his eternal expiation.-
the fashion of three hundred years ago.'