The Hickman courier., 1876-08-25
THE HORSE DEAL.
ER'S STORY.

Many years ago, before the era of rail
roads, and when highwaymen abounded
along the great route fromiCalais to Paris,
a noted drover, who had been to
Boulogne with large drove of horses,
which he had sold for cash, was over
taken by night on his return, near
Marquise. He remembered that little
distance ahead was quiet inn he had
never stopped at, and he determined to
spend the night there.
As he rode up to the house, the land
lord, respectable looking person, re-
ceived his horse and led him away TO the
stable, while he invited the drover to
enter the public sitting-room.
Here he found two young men, one Of
whom, from his resemblance to the land
lord, he recognized as his son; the other,
somewhat older, from his manners, APP
peared also to belong to the family.
Immediately after supper during which
the droyer stated where he had been and
what good luck he had met WITH, the
son mounted horse, and stating that he
was going to Marquise to stay all night,
rode off The drover, having looked
after the comfort of his horse, soon re-
quested the landlord to show him to his
room.
As the traveller slipped off his gar
ments, he felt for the leathern belt about
his waist, to see that it was secure
This contained his gold, while his paper
money was in a large wallet, carried in
a pocket made for the purpose. in the
inside of his vest. Depositing these
articles beneath his pillow. ne aarfts,-
guished the light and threw himself up
on the bed, when, overcome by weari-
ness, he soon fell asleep.
How long he had been in this state of
forgetfulness he coUh not tell, when he
was aroused to waketulness by the sound
of some person endeayoring to open the
window near the head of his bed. At
the same time he heard suppressed voices
without, as of several persons in whis-
pered consultation.
Startled by this suspicious appearance
of things. the drover reached toward the
chair on whicn he had thrown his clothes,
for his weapons; but, to his dismay, he
that on his arrival, when
preparing to wash off the dust of his
journey, he had laid them aside, within
the bar, and had neglected to resume
them.
Scarcely conscious of what he was
doing, the defenseless drover slipped
from the foot of the bed, and hid him
self in the darkness behind a lot Of
woman's dresses suspended from the wall,
and watched the motions of a man who
was now slowly and cautiously entering
the room. He even fancied he could
detect the reflection of the dim light
upon an appraised knife as the man aP-
preached the bed with staggering and
uncertain steps. But great was his re-
lief when, instead of an attempt at muir
der, he carelessly shufIled off his clothes,
and throwing himself into the bed he
had just vacated, was soon in a sound
sleep.
Not knowing what to make of this
strange affair, the drover determined to
dress himself, call up the landlord, and
have this singular intrusion explained.
He had reached his clothes and slipped
on his trousers, and was moving toward
the door, when steps were heard eau
tiously crossing the outer room. Once
more he sought the shelter of the dresses,
which completely screened his person,
and awaited the entrance of the persons,
whoever they might be. Presently JneF
door of the room was silently openedI
and two men made their appearaneel
1t was not so dark but that the droverI
could readily distinguish them to be the
innkeeper and the man he had seen att
the supper table.
'Step lightly, 1 tell you," whispered
the landlord, cor you'll wake him up,
and then we'll have apretty mess on our
hands,"
"Nonsensew replied the other, with
an oath. "You are scared, old man p
Scared !" repeated the first speaker.
''No man ever told John GARNER before
he was scared Here, give me the knife. /
I'll show you who is scared You secure
the money-it's under the pillow-I saw
him put it there, and I'll do the restn
The old man was in advance, and as
he stood between the window and the
drover, the latter could see his form bent
over the bed, while his hand seemed to
be searching beneath the pillow.
"Here, Henri-take it. Here's the
wallet, and here's the belt. How heavy
it isp'-and he passed the money to his
companion before the other had vet
reached the bedside.
The old man then put his hand to his
bosom, and the trembling drover saw
him draw forth the long blade the other
had given him. For an instant the mur-
derous weapon was poised over his head
and then decended upon the person of
the poor wretch in the bed
The murderer paused in his work for
an instant, as if to satisfy himself that