The Republican journal., 1869-06-17

had become more frequent ana more binding.
For q mile the two horsemen rode on in
silence, the guide keeping up to his directions
to the letter, while his follower watched his
every movement. rs Il cat would watch a
mouse.
Suddenly the guide stopped, and looked be-
hind him. Again he heard the click Of the
strangers pistol. and saw his uplifted arm
Have mercy, meinheer," he groaned; II
dare not 90 on
.'I'll give thee three seconds to 90 on re-
piled the stranger, sternly. "Oncr-
'In heavens name spare me-" implored
the guide. almost overpowcred with fear.
''look before YOU in the road, and YOU will
not blame me-
The stranger looked. At first he saw some
| thing white standing in the centre of the road,
but presently a flash of lightning lit up the
scene, and he saw that the white figure was
indeed ghastly and frightful enough looking
to chill the blood in the veins Of even the
bravest man. If his blood chilled for a mo-
ment, therefore, it was not through any fear
that he felt for his ghostly interoepter, for the
next instant he set his teeth hard, while be
whispered between them just loud enough to
he heard by his terror stricken guide
| ..Be it man or dcyil-ride it down-I'l fol
| low. Two"
| " ieii q VI VI NtNoI'tt1A tiIJll 1lPS, liz
Guide urged his horse forward at the top OF
his speed, quickly followed by the stranger,
who held the pistol ready in his hand.
In another instant the guide would have
swept past the dreadful spot but at that in
slant the report of q pistol rang through the
dark forest, and the stranger heard horse
galloping off through the woods, ridefless
Finding himself alone, the stranger raised
his pistol, took deliberate aim at the ghostly
murderer, and pressed his finger upon the
trigger.
The appartion approached quickly. The
stranger stayed his hand, At length The
ghost addressed him in a voice that was any.
thing but sepulchral:
'IIere, Wilhelm, We move out of your perch
this minute, and give me q helping hand ; I've
hit the game while on the wing, haven't P
| The stranger was nonplnssed for a moment,
but recovering himself, he grumbled some
thing unintelligible, and leaped to the ground
One word to his horse, and the brave anima
stood perfectly still. BY the snow-White trap
abled to gropc his way in the dark towarC
thai individual, whom he found bending ovel
the black mass, about the size Of a man, ii
the road.
| AS the tiger pounces upon its prey, the
stranger leaped upon the STOPPING figure be
fore him and bore it to the ground.
II arrest you in the name Of the King,
cried the stranger, grasping the prisoner by
the throat and holding him tight ''Stil
hand OF foot until | have you properly secur-
ed, and I'll send Your soul to eternity"
This was such an unexpected turn of af
fairs that the would-be ghost could hardly be
lieve his own senses, and was handcut1ed anC
stripped of his dagger and pistols before he
could find breath to speak.
"Are you not my Wilhelm?" he gasped.
"No, landlord" replied the individual ad.
dressed: Il am not he. But am an officer
of the King, at your service, on special duty
| to do what | have tonight accomplished
Your precious son Wilhelm, who you though
was leading an innocent sheep to the slaugh
ter, lies in the road. killed hy his father:
hand
| Two weeks later, at Buchsalc prison the
landlord Of the Sign Of the Deer and the
Ghost Robber of the Black Forest, who was
the same identical person, having been prov
ed guilty of numerous fiendish murders, anC
a"+fi,l1y nont,vnd "ol.l,nrins committpd at diff
fcrent times in the Black ForeSl, p.tiI l. - re
atty of his crimes by letting his head fall un
der the eXecutioner's axe, Since that time
| travelling through Schwarsald has not beer