The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-10-31

rem, gave MN pick Win the
rowels. and off the noble animal
started like the wind in the wake
Of tho flying guide.
The strangers horse being much
superior to the others. the race
was short one, and terminated by
the guide being nearly thrown
from his saddle by a heavy hand
which was LAID upon his bride,
stopping him.
He turned in his scat, beheld the
strangers face dark and frowning,
and trembled violently as he felt
the smooth, cold barrel of q pistol
pressed against his check.
"This cursed beast almost ran
away with me-" cried the guide,
composing himself as well as he
could under the circumstances.
"Yes, | know" said his compan-
ion, dryly; shut mark my words,
young man; ifyour horse plays
such tricks as that again, he'll be
the means of seriously iDjuring his
masters heath."
They both turned and cantered
back to the road. When they
reached it again, and turned the
heads of their animals in the right
direction, the stranger said to his
guide, in a tone which must have
convinced his hearer of his earnest
ness .. A..
"Now, friend Wilhelm, / hope
we understand each other for the
rest of the journey. You are to
continue on ahead of me, in the
right road, without swcrving eli
ther to the right or to the left. If
| sec you do anything suspicious, l
will drive a brace of bullets through
you without another wo:d Of no.
ticc. Now push on"
The guide started on as directed,
but it was evident from his move
ments and his mutterings that he
was alarmed at something else be-
side the action Of his follower.
In the meantime the thunder bad
! increased in it's violence. and the
flashes of the lightning had become
moro frequent and moro binding.
For about q mile the two horse
men rode on in silence; the guide
keeping up to his directions while
his follower watched his every
movement, as a cat would watch a
mouse.
Suddenly tho guide stopped and
looked behind. Again he heard
the click of the strangers pistol
and saw his uplifted arm.
Have mercy, meinheer," he
groaned; II dare not go on"
II give you three seconds 10 go
on" replied the stranger, sterniy
---"Onc!"
"In Heavens name, spare" i'm
plored the guide, almost overpow
cred with fear; "look before me in
the road and you will not blame
me-" . ,.......
The stranger looked. AT first he
saw something white standing mo
tionless in the centre OF the road
but presently flash of Lightning
lit up tho scene, and he saw tba
the white figure was indeed ghost
: ly and irightful enough looking tc
chill the blood in tho veins of ever
. the bravest man. lfhis blood chill
ed for q moment, therefore, IT waI
not through any fear that he fell
for his ghostly intercepter, for thu
, next instant he set his teeth hare
, while he whispered between them
) Just loud enough tobe heard by hi
terror stricken guide-"Bc it maj
, or dcvil-ride it down--I'll fol
) low. Twor'
With q cry of despair upon hi
, lips, the guide urged his horse for
. ward at tho top of his speed, quick
ly followed by the stranger, wh,
held his pistol ready in his hand
In another moment the guid
p would have swept by the dreaded
q spot, but at that instant the repor
' Of pistol rang through the forest
and the stranger heard horse gal
a op off through the wood riderless
q Finding himself alone, the stran
!. ger raised his pistol, took delibe
3 rate aim at the ghostly murderer
4 and pressed his finger upon tn
trigger,
;. The apparition approached quicl
> ly, but in no hostile attitude. Th
d stranger stayed his hand, A
o length the ghost addressed him i
Z 3 voice that was anything but ser
/. ulchral-
, "Herc, Wilhelm, ye mope out
n your perch this minute and give
n helping hand. I've hit the gam
70 while on the wing, haven't II"
The stranger was non. .plussed tC
a moment, but recovering himsel
n he grumbled something unintell
II gible and leaped to the ground
"a One word to his horse and u
" brave animal stood perfectly stiI
By the snow-white trappings 9
(" the would.be ghost, he was next e
h abled to gropo his way in the dar
= towards that individual, who
m he found bending over n blac
mass about the size of q man in Il
" road. ., ,.f.
AS the tiger pounccs upon h
n prey, the stranger leaped upon u
is STOPPING figure before him and bo
him to the ground. .r..
k, II arrestyou in the kings name
lis cried the stranger, graspIng I
le prisoner by the throat, and hOl
it ing him tight. "Stir hand or 10
e. until l have you properly secure
IS and ri send your soul to eternity
n. nb;e uaa such an unexDected tu