Weekly Trinity journal., 1878-02-16

lie turned IN his seat, Deheld the
Strangers face. dark and frowning, and
trembling violently MS he ielt the smooth,
cold barrel of the pistol pressed against
his cheek.
This cursed beast almost ran away
with me-" cried the guide, composing
himself MS well AS he could under the cir
cumstances.
AYES, | know" said his companion dry
ly, " but mark my wo,d, young man, if
your horse plays such tricks ngain, he'll
be the means of seriously injuring his
masters health
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 tone which must have con-
vinced his hearer as to his earnestness:
Nov, friend Wilhelm, hope we un-
derstand each other for the rest Of the
journey. You are to continue ahoad of
me in the right road without swervihg
either to the right or left. III see you
doing anything suspicious, l will drive
brace of bullets through you without
word of notice. Now push on"
The guide had started as directed, but
it WAS evident from his mutterings that
he was alarmed ut something besides the
action ot his follower.
In III" meantime the thunder had in.
creased its violence, and the flashes OF
lightning had become more frequent and
moro binding.
For awhile the two horsemen rode on
in silence, the guide keeping up his direc
tons to the letter, while his follower
watched his every movement, as n cat
would watch II mouse"
suddenly the guide stopped and looked
behind him. Again ne heard the click
of the strangers pistol and saw his uplfted
arm.
"Have mercy, meinheer," he groaned,
Il dare not go un."
81 give you three seconds 10 60 on"
replied the stranger sternly. "One!"
In Heavens name, spare," implored
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 motionless in
the center of the road, but presently a
fash Of lightning Ii. 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
moment, therefore, it WAS not through
any fear that he felt for his ghostly in
tercepter, for the next instant he set his
teeth hard, while be whispered between
them just loud enough to be heard by his
terror stricken guide:
BE it man or devil ride it down
I'll follow. Two !"
With a cry of despair upon his lips the
guide urged his horse forward Mt the tor
of his speed, quickly followed by thc
stranger, who held bis pistol ready in hli
hand.
In another instant tho guide would
have swept past the dreadful spot, but a
through the dark forest, and the strange
heard horse galop off through thu
woods riderless.
Finding himself alone, the strange
raised his pistol, took deliberate aim n
the ghostly murderer, and pressed hi
finger upon the trigger.
The epparation approached quickly
but in no hostile attitude. The stranger
stayed his hand. At length the ghos
addrcsscd him in voice that was any
thing but sepulchral
Here, Wilhelm, ye move out of your
perch this minute and give me II helping
hand. I've hit the game while on the
wing, haven't ?"
The stranger WAS nonplussed, for mo
ment, but recovering himself, he grum
blrd something unintclligible and leaped
to the ground. Ono word TO his horse
and the brave animal stood perfectly still
By the snow white trappings on the
would be ghost he was next enabled tC
grope his way in the dark toward thai
individual, whom he found bending over
black mass, about the size Of II man, or
the road.
As the tiger pounces Upon his prey. ths
stranger leaped upon the STOPPING figure
before him, and bore it to the ground.
arrest you in the Kings name.'
cried the stranger, grasping his prisoner
by the throat and holding him tight
" Stir hand or foot until have you per.
fsctly secured, and III send your soul in
to eternity"
This was such an unexpected turn "a
affairs that the woud-be ghost could
hardly believe his own senses, and was
handcuffed and stripped OF his dagger and
pistol before he found time to speak
"Are you not my Wilhelm ?" he gasp
ed.
"No, landlord" replied the individual
addressed, " / am not. But | am an off
Ger OF the King, at your service. on spe
cial duty, to do wha: have ton ght ac-
compished. Your precious son, vii
helm, who you thought was Lending an
innocen. sheep 10 the slaughter, lies in
the road, killed by his fathers hand"
Two weeks later, at Bruch-nle Prison
in Baden. the landlord of the sign OF the
Deer and Ghost Robber Of the Black For
est, who was the same identical person.
having been proven guilty Of numerous
flendish murders and artfully contrived
robberes, committed at different times in
the Black Forest, paid the penalty Of his
crimes by letting mll his head from he
executinnpr's nx since when. travelling
through the Schwarzald has not been 50
L L