The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-10-18
The Ghost RObber.
a STORY OF TUE BLACK FoEEsr.

lopV, stranger mounted on noble
looking horse, passed slowly over th,
3 snow white limestone road leading
B through the Black Forrest.
Just as the sun was going to res
Tor the day, when gloomy shadowi
were beginning to stalk, he drew reir
as he said
This must be near the spot, surely
III stop here, anyhow, for while, anc
see what can learn"
He thereupon dismounted and en-.
tered the parlor of the inn. where h,
sat down before a small table
Glow can serve You. meinheer p
said the landlord,
See to my horse outside. replied
the guest, carecssly, but at the same
time cycling the landlord from head tc
foot; and let Inc have some wine
Rhine Will do"
The landlord was turning to with
draw from the strangers presence
when he stopped and said
Which way, meinheer, do Won tray
el ?"
"To Naustadt," answered the stran.
ger.
"You viii rest here tonight, l sup.
pose continued the landlord
Il viii Stay here for two or three
hours but | must then be of, so as to
reach lay destination in the morning
am going there to purchase lumber
for the market
"And you have considerable money
wi h you, no doubt?" asked the land
lord innocently
eyes, considerable" replied the
stranger slipping at his wine disinter-
estelly,
Then, if you'll take my advice, "
said the landlord, you'll stay here til
morning
why ?" queried the stranger look
ing mp curiously
"B cause, whispered the landlord,
looking around as if he were disclosing
a great secret and was afraid of being
heard by somebody else, every man
that BIAS passed over the road between
this and Naustadt at night, for the last
ten years las been robbed or murder
ed under very singular circumstance
u.s."
what were the singular circum-
stances asked the stranger putting
down his glass empty. and preparing
to fll il again
why you see, = the landlord went
on, while be approached his guests
table and took a seat, Il have spoken
with several who have been robbed.
and an could learn from them is that
they remember meeting in the lone
some part OF the wood a something
that looked white and CHASTITY. and
frightened their horses SO that they
either run away or threw their riders;
they felt % choking sensation and Il
sort u smothering, and finally died, as
they thought but awoke in an hour
or So to find themselves lying by the
roadside robbed Of everything they
had
"Indeed CIRCULATED the stranger
looking abstractodly at the rafters in
the ceiling, as though he were more
intent upon countin them than he was
interested IN the landlords story.
The inn-keeper looked at him in
amazemeut Such perfect GOODNESS he
had not witnessed IN a long time
You wiz remain, them suggested
the landlord, after waiting sometime
for his guest 10 speak.
81 y cried the stranger, starting
from his tit OF abstraction as though
he were not sure that he was the per-
ION addressed. 90, most certainly
not; Tin going straight ahead, ghost
or no ghost, tonight =
Half an h mr. later the stranger and
guide, called Wilhelm, were out on
the road going at pretty round pace
toward Naustadt
During flash of lightning the
stranger observed that his guide
looked very uneasy about something
and was Stacking his horses pace as
though he intended to drop behind.
LEAD on, ," cried the stranger, don't
be afraid"
I'm afraid l cannot" replied the
person addressed, continuing to hold
back his horse until he he was now at
least length behind his companion
My horse is eowardly, and becomes
unmanageablc in a thunderstorm. If
you viii go on though, ] think | can
make him follow close enough to point
out the road
The stranger pulled up instantly
a strange light cleaned in his eyes,
while his hand sought his breast peck
ct, from which he drew something -
The guide saw the movement, and
stopped also.
Guides should lead, not follow"
said the stranger quietly, but with a
frmness which seemed to be exceed
~ unpleasant to the person addressed.
but, faltered the guide, "my horse
won't go.
won't hep" queried the stranger
with mock simplicity in his tone,
The guide heard n sharp click, and
saw something CLEAN in his compan-
ions right hand. He seemed to un-
derstand what it meant perfectly, for
he Immediately drove his spurs into
his horses TANKS, and shot ahead OF
his companion without another word
being uttered.
He no sooner reached his old posi-
ton, However, than the stranger saw