The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1881-06-23
THE GHOST ROBBER.


the day, when the gloomy shadows were
beginning to stalk, he drew rein, as be
said
''Ihis must be near the spot, surely.
/ I'll stop here, anyhow, for while, and
see what I can learn"
de thereupon dismouhted and enter
ed the parlor Of the iun, where he sat
down beside a small table.
"How can I serve you, meinherr p
said the landlord.
'See to my horse, outside, " replied
the guest carelessly, but at the same
time cycling the landlord from head TO
foot; '''and let me have some wine
Rhine will do.
The landlord was turning to Withdraw
from the strangers presence, when he
stopped and said F.:
(Which way, meinherr, do you travel?''
''To Nanstadt, replied the guest.
''You will rest here tonight, L sup
pose!" continued the landlord.
81 stay here for two or three hours,
but I must then be off so as TO reach my
destination there in the morning. [ am
going to purchase lumber in the market. -
''And you have considerable money
with you, no doubt?" asked the landlord,
inrocently.
Yes considerable, replied the guest.
slipping at his wine disinterestedly.
"Then if you'll take my advice, said
the landlord, you'll stay here till morn
ing"
"Why?' replied the stranger, looking
up curiously.
because" whispered the landlord,
looking around as if lie were disclosing a
great secret, and was afraid OF being heard
I by somebody else, .'eyery man that pass
ed over the road between this and Nam
stadt at midnight, for TIE last ten years,
has been robbed or murdered under very
similar circumstances. !"
"What were the circumstances ?'' in
quired the stranger, putting down his
glass empty, and preparing to fill it again.
"Why, yoU see, the landlord went on
while he approached his guests table
and took a seat, II have spoken with
several who have been robbed; all that I
| could learn from them is that they re
/ member meeting in the lonesome part Of
the wood something that looked white
and CHASTITY, and that frightened their
horses 20 thet thoy either ran away ur
threw their riders; that they felt chok-
| ing sensation and a sort of smothering,
and finally died, as they thought, but
they awoke in an hour or so to find them
selves lying by the roadside, robbed of
everything"
'Indeed," calculated the stranger,
looking abstractedly at the rafters in the
ceiling, as though he was more intent
upon counting them than he was inter
ested in the landlords story.
The inn-keoper looked at him in aston
ishmont. Such perfect cooIness he had
not witnessed for a long time.
''You viii remain, then ?'' suggested
| the landlord, after waiting some time for
his guest to speak.
81 p cried the stranger, starting from
his fit Of abstraction, as though he was
not sure Tat he was the person address
ed; "oh, most certainly not; I'm going
straight on, ghost or no ghost, tonight. -
Half an hour later the stranger and a
guide, called Wilhelm, were ont on the
road, going at pretty round pace toward
| Nanstadt.
During a fash Of lightning the strang.
er observed that his guide looked very
uneasilv about, and was slackenine his
pace as though he intended to drop be.
hind.
LEAD on, cried the stranger, "don't
be afraid"
I'm afraid I cannot" replied the
person addressed, continuing to hold his
horse in until he was now at least a length
behind his companion. "My horse is
cowardly and unmaaaqable in a thunder.
storm. II Ycu viii go on though I
| think can make him follow close enough
to point ont the road"
| The stranger pulled up instantly. 4
strange light cleaned in his eyes, while
his hand sought his breast pocket, from
which he drew something. The guide
saw the movement and stopped also.
''Guides should lead, not follow" said
the stranger, quietly, but with frmness
which seemed to be exceedingly unpleas-
ant to the person addressed.
"Bnt," faltered the guide, ''my horse
won't CO."
Wont hel" qusried the guest with
mock simplicity.
I The guide heard sharp click, and
saw something CLEAN in his companion s
! right hand. He seemed to understand
! perfectly, for he Immediately drove his
spurs into the horses fanks, and shot
ahead Of his companion without another
| wo,d.
He no sooner reached his old position,
however, than the stranger saw him give
| sharp turn to the right and then disap.
| pear, as though he had vanished through
the foliage Of the trees that skirted the
road.
He heard the clat5er of his horse as he
| galloped of. Without waiting another
instant he touched his horse lightly with
the reins, gave him prick with the
Toweis, and Of the noble animal started
Ike the wind in the wake Of the fleeing
guide
! Ihe strangers horse being much sr.
perlor to the others, the race was a short
0he' ana terminated by the guide being