The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1858-05-27
CHAPTER III.

The night was very dark, and flakes of snow
were falling fast over the already whitened
ground, but the old sorrel was perfectly ac-
quainted with every inch of the ground. and,
as if prompted by an instinct that he was on
business that admitted of no delay, it needed
but little urging on the part of Malachi to
make him stretch his neck through the village
of Brunswick like greyhound.
Occasionally his rider would rein up and
pause to listen, as if he could hear the clatter-
ing of hoofs in the distance, and when he
could hear no sound bnt the moaning of the
wind as it whistled through the forest trees,
he would shout "Ga-lang, ytu critter, the
game is ahead somewhere" and the horse
would resume his old pace.
But this perseverance, was not TO 90 long
unrewarded; for he had scarcely put the village
of Brunswick five mills behind him. when he
deserted the object of his search short dis
| tance ahead. and travelling at such gait as
| convinced him that Ensign Spencer had ii tie
| TO thank Malachi Dooltte for his handicraf,
As the matter stood it was no great feat for
| of the officer in the space of few moments
1t was too dark for Spencer to recognize his
new acquaintance OF the smithery.
'Fine evening, sqnire," said Malachi
''sleighng will be first rate Tomorrow, if it
continues to come down this way.n
lsere we don't agree. frieni.'' snid Spen-
Ger, placing his hand hv way of precaution.
| npon orc of his pistols "for the night. to nv
mind is cursed dark and stormy one"
| SWELL 'tis something dark, that's fact"
was Malachi's response, .'for man THAT'S got
considerable distance to ride. Got a fine
horse; can't see for sartin. Critier goes
kinder lame, don't he?o
eyes, thanks to bangling fellow that shod
him about two hours ago, / shall not be able
to reach my destination by DAYLIGHT ,s
"Rather guess YOU won't squire, at the rate
you are travelling now. Trenton is a long
way off yet, and it is rough road to travel
| Now Squire, seein' it's vou, I wouldn't mind
swapping horses. Old sorrel is sure footed,
and only ten years old, come next grass; though
should require little boot, under the crcum.
stances-pot Continental, but in hard Spanish
! and"
| "Hod on. friend. for heavens sake. I have
no wish to trade horses at any rate, and your
loquacty is perfectly overwhelming. have
but one question to ask, and you can act your
own pleasure in answering it. Who gave the
| information that was travelling to Trenton?'
'Jest as slick as grease, squire. You are
on our side. God save King George and down
with the rebels. I am Malachi Dooh;tle
Jonas Hutton's apprentice boy, who shod your
critter this very night; and it appears it was SO
confonnded dark in the shop, that made &
/ peskv job of it.''
"Pesky job indeed" said Spencer eWhy
my horse is gong dead lame, and must be il
Trenton by tomorrow mornins-my business
! is of the most vital Importance"
"Could mot do the business for you?, said
Malachi. "You can go back to Squire Hut
toms while will carry the dispatches you
bear about you to the British camp"
! "No," said Spencer, with laugh; s.that
wosla hardly DO. A British officer placing
important dispatches in the hands of black
smiths apprentice, is altogether out Of the
question:"
'By Judas, I've got it!'' exclaimed Malachi,
/ as if struck by sudden thought; "We will
swap horses for the present. I'll take your
/ critter back to H1iton's and doctor him till
You call for hir, and lend yon old sorrel-he
/ is Just as fresh now as when he left the stable
and can keep the same gait for four and twenty
hours to come"
Ensign Spencer was delighted with the prop
osition, and. hating at favorable place, they
/ both dismonted to make the exchange. Blu
no sooner had the officers feet touched III,
ground, than he found himself in the close EN-
brace Of tall Malachi.
Snow SQUIRE" he exclaimed, .'before il
comes TO worse tussel, I'll trouble you t.
fork over them papers,"
"Why, what do you mean, you plebeiaI
hound" said Spencer, "by insulting an office
Of King George?.' struggling to free himself
from the iron grasp Of the blacksmith's ap-
] prentice.