Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1878-02-04

oAll VCO UAO AO00s
He heard the clatter of his horse as
he galloped off. Without waiting another
instant, he touched the horse lightly
with the reins, gave him prick with
the rowels, and off the noble animal trot-
ted in the wake of the flying guide.
The strangers horse being much su-
perior to the others, the race was
short one, and terminated by the guide
being thrown nearly from his saddle by
heavy hand which laid upon his bri-
die, stopping him.
He turned in his seat, beheld the
strangers face. dark and frowning, and
trembled violently as he fell the smooth.
cold barrel of a pistol pressed against
his cheek.
"This cursed beast almost ran away
with me- cried the guide, composing
himself as possible under the circum-
stances.
"Yes. l know" said his companion
drily "but mark my word. young man.
if your horse plays suck tricks again
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 an
imals in the right direction, the stran-
ger said to his guide in tone which
mnst have convinced his hearer as to
his earnestness.
"Now, friend Wilhelm, l hope we
understand each other for the rest of the
journey. You are to continue on ahead
of me, in the right road, without swerv-
ing either to the right or left. If see
you do anything supicious l will drive
brance 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 at something be-
sides the action of his follower.
In the meantime the thunder had in
creased.its violence, and the flashes of
lightning had become more frequent and
more binding.
For awhile the two horsemen rode on
in silence, the guide keeping up his di-
rections to the letter, while his follower
watched his every movement as cat
would watch mouse.
Suddenly the guide stopped and lo0G-
ed behind him. Again he heard the click
of the strangers pistol and saw his up
lifted arm.
"Have mercy, meinheer," he groan-
ed, 81 dare not 60 on"
81 give you three seconds to go on, :"
replied the stranger, sternly. "One"
"In Heavens name, sure," implorcd
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
flash of lightning lit up the scene, and
he saw that the white figure was indeed
CHASTITY and frightful enough to chill the
blood in the veins of even the bravest
man. If his blood chilled for moment
therefore, it was not through any fear
that he felt for his ghostly interpreter
for the next instant he set his teeth
hard, while he whispered between then
just loud enough to be heard by the ter
ror-stricken guide:
"Be it man or devil ride it down
I'll follow. Two p
With cry of despair upon his lip
the guide urged his horse forward a
the top of his speed, quietly followed
by the stranger, who held his pisto
ready in his hand.
In another instant the guide woulc
have swept past the dreadful spot, bu
at that instant the report of pisto
rang through the dark forest, and tn
stranger heard horse gallop off throug
the woods riderless.
Finding himself alone, the strange
raised his pistol, took deliberate aim a
the ghostly murderer, and then presse
his finger upon the trigger.
+ The apparition approached quickly
but in no hostile attitude. The stra1
q ger stayed his hand. At length th
ghost addressed him in voice that Wa
, anything but sepulchral:
"Here, William, ye move out of yor
perch this minute and give me hell
ing hand. I've hit the game while 9
q the wing, haven't ! ?'
The stranger was nonplussed for
/. moment, but recovering himself,
q grumbled something unintelligible al
leaped to the ground. One word to h
. horse and the brave animal stood pc
fectly still. By the snow-white ira
d pings of the would-be ghost he was ne
! enabled to grope his way in the towal
y that individual, whom he found BEN
ing over dark mass, about the size
10 a man, on the road.
AS the tiger pounces upon his pre-
h the stranger leaped upon the stoopiI
figure before him and bore it to t
ID ground.