The true northerner., 1881-07-01

skittish," !" thought the horseman, as he
felt the tremor of the frightened animals
limbs, and her gait for q short distance
became irregular. "Our road lies
through a wood for few miles, as am
told and, when the shower is on us in
full force, what with tho lightning, the
thunder, the rain and the darkness,
she may become unmanageable. Per-
haps / had better stayed after all.
The more haste the worst speed some
times"
Flash after flash, peal after peal now
followed rapidly, with binding and deaf
ening effect upon man and beast, and
soon the wind and rain combined with
fearful power and volume, as if to dis
tract and discomfort the benighted horse
and rider. Here and there. over their
rough road, tho torn branches of trees
incunbered it, as if to dispute their
passage. Twice, as the scared beast gal
loped frantically on, she stumbled and
nearly threw the cavalier, requiring all
his efforts to recover her and keep the
saddle; and once dazzling bolt aud
fearful simultaneous clap of thunder
caused the poor beast to swerve madly
aside, rear, and then turn back in her
track for u short distance while a
tall tree. cleft by the lightning, scat
tered half its mighty bulk over the
spot from which the mare had shrunk
back.
But, with steady hand and coaxing
voice, the horseman finally caused her
to return again /; and, vaulting over the
PROSTATE trunk, they resumed their
stormy course, while broken boughs.
torn from tallest trees, whirlei danger
ously through the dark cir.
Thus, through the night, they pro-
ceeded. the storm gradually abating as
the dim dawn Of day approached and,
when the cheering sun at last broke with
merry face over the glittering hills, the
drenched stranger was far beyond the
perplexing forest through which he had
ridden.
"Thank you for nothing" he ex-
claimed, mockingly saluting the sun.
"The world is full of such friends. who
give their aid only when the trouble is
over. The sun should shine in the night
such times"
The mare made the best of her way to
the neighboring village, where the rider
now determined to stop, recruit and pass
half day at least.
Dirty, drenched, sore with travel
haggard as he was, it may be supposed
that he did not feel over-communicativ
to the people at the tavern, who stared
at the stranger the harder. They
thought him not at all prepossessing-
poor, proud, no baggage and very likely
no money.
Tha ,,>ora l,ou,oyar xyoa ofo1Ial NOT
without being closely regarded by every
! eye.
May never eat meat" said one, elf
that isn't Amos Dunbars mare julie"
" L wish may be shotif don't think
so, too. White fore feet, and just such
shape, height, head and gait; name and
tail, - any rate"
"Cou'dn't be possible" said another.
7" He left yesterday to be gone week,
he said; and he wouldn't allow any live
man but himself to ride his mare"
GO But there she is, howsomever, in
sisted the others, and they went out to
| the barn to reassure themselves.
Meanwhile the stranger, having gone
IN to'wash and make his garments some
what more tidy, disclosed to tho land
lord bloody cash upon the side of his
head, which he bathed, and, calling for
plaster, dressed it.
/" How did you get that wound,
friend?' asked the landlord. curiously.
" A falling bough in the storm last
night, was the answer, carelessly. 81
did not think it was so severe cut So
much to do to manage my horse 1 hard
ly gave it a thought"
Where might you be from, sir?"
continued the landlord, not exactly sat
SIZED.
'' i might be from any quarter of the
world you choose" said the stranger;
land If L told you from England don't
know that it would make you any wiser.
Don't begin to catechise tired man. III
pay my way that's all you need wish
of me-"
Humph !" grunted the landlord. as
he ordered table ready for his bluff
visitcr. "Tm not sure that this fellow
init rough customer and n suspicious
character. I'll keep an eye on him p
While the stranger was at breakfast,
those who had been to inspect the horse
reasserted that it was no other than
Amos Dunbar's mare and, whispering
to the landlord about it, they agreed to
ask the stranger how she came into his
! possession as soon as he had finished
his meal.
" He had heap of money about him
when he went away, yesterday" said
the inkeeper, shaking his head in sim
ister manner.
Look here, stranger" said one of
the villagers, as he rose from the table
and came forth, "ain't that same Dun
bars mare, that you rid here"
81 don't know him. Why do you
ask ?" said tho stranger, frowning at
what he considered village imperti-
nence.
"But we know his mare and that's
her, sure as snakes. He left here, where
he lives, yes'd'y forenoon on her back,
and you must have met him else how
came you by his horse?"
[ have ridden her about 900 miles, and
so she couldn't well have been here
yesterday" replied the stranger, vexed
ut the suspicious q 'an"es which were cast
unot, him ap1 ottrihutipn fbay, a., tbo