, 1882-09-29

my luck. to be- rolstnd hv dav and half.
drowned 10y night, ns this approaching
storm $ ems 10 for hDdn. Ha what
vivid flash Thrtemp"-tisc is coming soon
or t'mn | expected How fast the mare
goes 4 few hour, have workc wonders
with her; or, perhaps, inst net bids her
speed to escape the tempest, ii possible. -
A heavy crash of thunder, Just then,
startled both horse md horsemm-the
opening cannOnalr of the elemental hat.
tIc which was soon to sweep iuriously
around them.
"She has been Ovcr,fed, or she is very
skittish, thought the horseman, rs he
teIt the tremor Of the frightened animals
limbs and her gait for Il short distance
heClr"o irregular. "Our rOad lies
through II wood for few miles, as I am
told and, when the shower is on us in
Sull force, what with the lightning. the
thunder, the rain an the darkness,
she mny become unmnnageabIe. Per.
hnpS | had better stayed after all.
The N III haste the worst speed some.
times."
Flash after fash, peal after peal now
followed RAPIDLY, with binding and deaf
ening effect upon man AMI beast, and
soon the wind and rain combined with
fearful power and volume, M if to dis
tract and discomfort the benighted horse
aud rider. Here and there, over their
rough road, the torn branches of trees
in nnhered it, rs If to dispute their
passage. Twice, as the scared beast ga
o Ell franti nlly on, she stumbled ~
nearly threw the cavalier, requiring
his efforts to recover her and keep tue
saddle; and once dazzling holt and
fearful simultaneous clap OF thunder
caused the poor beast to swerve madly
,side, rear, and then turn back in her
track for a short distance while q
t,ll tree. cleft by the lightning, scat
tered half its mighty bulk over the
pot from which the mare had shrunk
back.
But, with steady haud and coaxing
voice, the horseman finally caused her
to return again and, vaulting over the
pr,strate trunk, they resumed their
,tormy course. while broken boughs,
torn from tallest trees, whir el danger
ou>ly through the dark cir.
Thus, through the night, they pro-
"eeded, the storm gradually abating as
he dim da"n Of day applo tched; and,
When the cheering sun mt last broke with
merry face over the glittering hills, the
lreuched stranger WIS far beyond the
oernlexing forest through which he had
rid len.
Thank you for no hing" he ex.
claimed, mockinely saluting the sun.
"Tne world is full of such friends, who
give their aid only when the trouble is
over. The sun should slime in the night
such times"
The mare made the best Of her way to
the neigh boring village, where the rider
low determined to stop, recruit and pass
lalf a day at / aSt. -rr
Dirty, dren'hal, soe witt travel
naggard as he WAS, il may be supposed
that he did not ftcl over-cUmmunicative
70 the people ut the tavern. who stared
It the stranger the harder. They
thought him not at NIL preoossessing-
DOOR, proul, no baggage and vely likely
no money. ",s
The mare, however. VAS stalled not
without being closely regarded by every
eye.
"Mav I rsver eat meat" said one. "if
that isn't Amos Duubar's mare Jule."
"I wish may be shotif don't think
80, too. White fore feet. and just such
shape, height, head and gait; name and
tail, Mt any rate" .
"CouIdn't be possible" said another.
" He left yesterday to be gone week,
he said; and he wouldn't allow any live
man hut himself to ride his mar :"
But there she is, howsomever," in
sisted the others. AMI they went out to
the barn tn leassure themselves
Meanwhile the stranger, having gone
in to wash and make his garmentssome-
what more tidy, disclosed to tho land
lord bloody cash npon the side of his
head, which he bathed, and, calling for
plaster, dressed it.
"HDw did van ~"t that wound,
fr:andp" asked the landlord. ouriously.
ga falling bough in tie storm last
night" was the answer, carelessly. II
dld not think il was so severe cut. Sc
,huch to do to manage my horse / hard
ly gave it Thought"
Where might you be from, sir?"
continued the landlord, not exactly sat
isfed. m.
81 might be from any quarter of the
world you choose" said the stranger;
and if told you from England don't
know that it would make you any wiser.
Don't begin to cateohise a tired man. If
pay my way that's all you need wish
of me-" 49,
"Humph r. grunted the landlord, MS
ne ordered a. table ready for his bluff
visitor. I'm not sure that this fellow
amt rough customer and q suspicious
character. I'll keep an eye on him r
While the stranger was at breakfast,
those who had been to inspect the horse
reasserted that il 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. ...