The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1868-06-18


prick with the fowels, and off tho
noble animal started like the wind in
the wake Of the flying guide. i@Sa'., 1.a !,
The strangers horse being much
superiorto the other the Eace was q
short one, and terminated by the
guide being thrown, nearly from his
saddle by aAheayy hand which was
laid upon his bride, stopping him. ~
he turned in his seat, beheld the
strangers face, dark and, frowning,
and trembled violently as he, felt, the
smooth, ccId barrel of a pistol
pressed against his cheek. tq.ls.
'"This cursed beast almostran away
with me-" cried the guide, compos-
ing himself as well as he could under
the circumstances. e.-
eyes, I know" said his compa-
nion, dryly, "but mark my words.
young man, if your horse plays such
tricks again, he'll be the means of
seriously iniuring his masters
They both turned and oantered
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 tone which must have
convinced his hearer as to his earn
estness:
"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, with
out swerving either to the right or
left. If I see you do anything sus-
picious, I will drive brace of bullets
through you without word of no.
tice. Now push on"
but it was evident, from his mutter-
ing, that he was alarmed at some
thing besides the action of his fol-
lower.
In the meantime, the thunder had
increased its violence. and the flashes
of lightning had become more fire.
quent and more binding. a
For awhile the two horsemen rode
on in silence-the guide keeping up
his directions to the letter, while his
follower watched his every move
ment, as cat would watch a mouse.
Suddenly the guide stopped and
looked behind him. Again he heard
the click of the strangers pistol, and
saw his uplifted arm.
''Have mercy, Meinheer," he
groaned, 81 dare not go on"
81 give you three seconds to go
on" replied the stranger, sternly.
"Onel"
s'In Heavens name, spare" i'm
plored the guide, almost overpowered
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
the scene, and he saw that the white
figure was indeed ghastly and fright
full enough looking to chill the blood
in the veins of even the bravest man.
If his blood chilled for O moment,
therefore, it was not through any fear
that he felt for his ghostly intercept
ter, for the next instant he set his
teeth hard while he whispered just
loud enough to be heard by his
terror-stricken guide:
'.Be itman or devil!- ride it down;
I'll follow. Two!"
With cry of despair upon his lips
the guide urged his horse forward at
the top Of his speed, quickly followed
by the stranger, who held his pistol
ready in his hand.
In another instant the guide would
have swept past the dreadful spot,
but at that instant the report of
pistol rang through the dark forest,
and the stranger heard horse gallop
off through the woods rider-less.
Finding himself alone, the stranger
raised his pistol, took deliberate aim
at the ghostly murderer, and pressed
his finger upon the trigger.
The apparation approached quick
ly, but in no hostile attitude. The
stranger stayed his hand. At length
the ghost addressed him in O voice
that was anything but sepulchral:
Here, Wilhelm, ye move out of
your perch this minute and give me
helping hand. I've hit the game
while on the wing, haven't I?"
The stranger was non-plussed for
moment; but, recovering himself, he
grumbied something unintelligible,
and leaped to the ground. One word
to his horse, and the brave animal
stood Oerfectlv still Rv tho onou