Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1861-10-12

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Obed turned sharply on the woman
As to you, said he tartly, must and vii
say -
The farmer laid his hand heavily on hi
shoulder and looked In his face. os1
Say nothing that may in any way refiec
on her. She's hard working. loving woman
She bears her heavy lot without repiung
The little sunshine which God sends ini,
this honse comes from her. Say nothing
of her, for unless your looks belle you yor
will say what will not bear. To me she
is all that is left of fortune or friends. and
next to God / honor her.
There was grave sternness in the tone
ana manner Of the farmer as he spoke. and
kindllng Of the steady eve which warned
ooea mat he was treading on dangerous
AS TO yonr wife, have no fault to 6nd
WIN her, replied he she owes me nothing
never deal with women, neyer-neyerp
It's well, said the other. with the some
grave manner And now, as you have
sad what you came for, and | have riyen
you my answer, it is useless to speak further
about the matter. The night is ron1b
one VIII you stay here until the storm
abateSY . a.. IN - ~ - - :
Sioy here ! screamed obed fairly excit.
ed beyond his patience by the sturdy calm
ness Of bis debtor not minute AS he
spoke he made for the door.
Think again. said the farmer the night
is dreadful, and there is wild work going on
without.
UlI 0n fhopnh A. 1.u ,e
in my path ! AS he spoke be pushed
past the farmer, aud opened tie door,
dashed ont into the darkness. He was
absent but minute when he returned. The
farmer was still standing where be left
him. I[l- ~
John WakemOn, said he slowly and in
tone of concentrated wrath, you've braved
me tbs night Now, mark my words, I'll
hunt you down. =.
The farmer eyed him claimly, and then
raising his hand slowly, pointed upward.
bnt said not word. -,Hr. y
suppose that means Providence again,
said Ooed with q sparl. Whenever a man
loses money, it's always Providence but
when he makes it, it is always himself
Wen see what that same Providence viii
do for yon when you get me after you.
Again be left the house, bat as he did SO
he turned and looked back. The mar
stood with the same unmoycd expreS
sion and his finger still pointed to
heaven. NFj3S tfsaa- tf iG3rS
y Let him point growled he. If I do moi,
teach him TO pay his debts. may He
did not finish bis sentence, for he had reach
ed the shed under which he bad tied his
horse. He led him out, and battling with
the wind and rain, contrivcd TO mount him
aud turned his head homeward
The man was right, it was wild night.
The wind swept down the valley in long
gusts. The trees creaked and groand, and
the lightning flushed across the road. The
sky was inky black, and his horse spIashed
heavily through the mud aud water which
deuged the road But Obed's venom was
too much aroused and his bosom too full of
vindictve plans, for him to heed the turmoil
around him. Let him point 10 heaven,
muitered he, we'll see what it will do for
him. If / don't hunt him down, may r.
again he paused, for his ear caught sourd
which came sweeping down the valley,
mingling strangely with the wailing of the
storm. Pepper. too, grew restiye, and
made one or two strong efforts to dash of
Dogs out on such night as this, mutter-
ed be. Whose can they beP 7eo
For q moment his heart stood still, and
a strange dread came over hia, for he re-
collected the last words of his negro Sam
and associated them in his mind with the
noises which were lore along o1the wind,
But Obed was not q man TO yield to idle
fancies. His life had been hard and practi
cal, aud with feeling almost Of contempt
at himself, be again turned his horse home
ward. But Pepper had grown so restive
that be could scarcely bold him, and he
seemed half wild with terror. His pace
was quickened to gallop His rider, how
ever was able to govern him, until the same
wild cry came ringing to his ears aud close
at hand. Obed glanced behind him. As
he did so bright fash of tightening flick
ering through the darkness anG showed
o pack of hounds coming down rpon him,
with lolling tongues aud fiery eyes and he
also recognized the red coat and bucksn
small clothes of Tom Floyd Instnctively
o prayer rose to his lips but at the same
moment his last words to John Wakeman
flashed through his mind and Choked ii in
his throat.
IL was no moment for hesitation. lie gave
reins to his horse and dashed or at furious
speed. He assaulted the sides of Pepper
with o shower of blows and drove his heels
into his ribs. For a moment he thought
that he was gaining upon his pursucrs.
But il was only a turning in the road which
had shut out their cry. The next moment
nearer than before, he heard the deep bay.
ing of the phantom hounds amid the below
ing of the storm, and loud above all the cry
of the goblin horseman Hunt the miser
down . @
0bed set his leetb. for amid his terrors
the feeling OF resistance was strong. There
was no need to urge his horse, for wild with
fright and startled by the sharp flashes of
lightning and the roar Of the thunder, his
speed was terrific. Down the Ceder, Samp
road, toward the village of Mosquito Cove,
Obed secured along, the mud sputtering be
hind him, his coattails duttering in the
wind. Pepper had got the very devil in
him bit and bride were but as threads ih
hold him in. Al every yell Of tie hounds
he seemed to leapa hnndred feet. Ihrougo
the village, up the hill, across the ields Of