The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1879-05-29

| w hhs WuS tuc thftttT WIFI tU(
horsef He had white spot on hi,
face, aud this seemed TO come of or
my hand as | touched him, n wet
sliny, sticky substance, bearing a ro
markable resemblance to white wash
With my heart in my mouth / stoop
ed to feel his white legs and feet
Yes, they were whitewashed too
The trappings had boon taken off m,
own horse at the inn, aud transferr.
ed to this worthless animal, Which
had beeu wbitewashed over TO imi-
tate mine.
The discovery brought an appall.
ing Interpretation of the oucomiua
horsemen. l gave tho horse the
whip as soon as his uustaple leg.
were well under him, and sent him
securing ahead while | ran on foo,
to the right, making for little hol-
low that | dscerned in the darkness
II proved to be shallow, dry ra.
vine ; aud here, to my profound as.
tonishment, / discovered n low cabin
or hut, about the dimensions of an
Ordinary country log house.
Dashing up to this, / gave a rapid
succession of knocks. A shrinking
pale and covering woman opened
the door.
"What is it :" was her question,
noticing by breathlcss haste.
rs there any chance to hide here
Ny horse has thrown me and | be-
lieve n party of desperadoos are close
up with me.
She mechanically closed the doc,
behind me, before had finished my
explanation.
mo, no there is no place :" she
gasped, her ear catching the sound
Of the coming horsemon. This is
all there is this one room"
My eyes had been seeking for n
place of concealment, but in vain.
suddenly they rested ON dark OBJ
ject in tue far corner.
"But this WHAT'S this ?" l oxe
claimed. making rush for it.
"It's coffin. Get in quick"
had barely time to place myself
in this receptacle for the dead, when
the hoarse voice of Bill Wolf was
heard outside.
"hele, you Dick-Is Dick here ?"
The woman opened the door.
'He has not come back yet, she
replied.
"Oh, not yet ! Jenny, have you
heard a horse go by yondor ?
"Ycs, just now
driving on like the devil il-eh 7?
Going fast, she answered. You
might perhaps hear its tracks still,
she added.
Bat Bill must have been of a sus,
picious nature. ! heard him leap
from his horse.
For tho life of me | could not help
pushing up the coffin lid and look
ing through the chink.
A fire was burning on tho stone
hearth.
Bill Wolf had hand on each door
post. His brutal head WAS thrust
inside the room peering about.
whats that ? he questioned
pointing to my retreat.
Its Staifer cotlin, she answer
cd. Are you in pursuit Of the man
gone by 2
"Ay. But what's that to you if
we are /? He can't have gone far
either on that animal.
Riding away in search of me. and
of what | carried, Wolf clattered off
The woman watched him Join two
comrades who had waited ut a little
distance then she came in aud bar
rod the door.
was out of tho coffin in a mo-
ment.
looked around in despair. To
go out was fatal, and to stay in
meant discovery, probably death.
Tho coffin was no longer available,
for Dick was coming for it,
"Stay, there's tho rain barrel out
side, said Lin desperation. They've
tried that once they may not look
at it again.
And before you would DO able to
speak q sentance, tho water was
dashed out of the cask, and / wis in
the barrel, the woman dropping a.
tub half iilled with water, in at the
top AS coverer.
She had barely timo to re-onter
the house, the door OF which fortu-
nately opened on tho side from the
moon, when a rafting vehicle drew
no at the door, and heard u voice
raving and swearing at tho woman
for something done or loft undonei
and then from tho bungholo, the plug
having been dislodgcd by the upset
ting OF the cask. saw the furious
return Of tho three other ronegades
There ensued good deal of loud
talking, explanations aud oaths.
A iorum Of hot nectar was prepar~
ed and they all went to partako Of II,
Dick refused TO join the hunt after
me on account Of having to take the
coffin to its destination.
At that moment wild and dess
perate plan entered my brain.
The horses OF the three rone-
gades---my own which had been re-
tained by the hostler at the inn,
among them--were hitched on the
other side OF the door, whero the
striking by the end OF
tho cabin, rested full upon them. II