Arizona weekly enterprise., 1882-03-04
mISTaKEH FOR A HIGHWAY.
 MAh.

A stalwart, but tired-looking, horse man was riding toward the village of Messy Brook, at the close of sultry afternoon last summer as fast as the faded bay mare he bestrode could lessen the distance. His face was handsome, but he wore an anxious expression, and he stared about the country, as he rode on, with the air of a stranger in those paris. His dusty feet, his pale visage and the foreign cut of his apparel, with the watchfulness of his manner, would have led any observer to consider him one who had travelled far that dpy, and who was not only from foreign coun- try, but laboring under some deep dis tress of mind, sorrow or fear-perhaps remorse.
 As he climbed the hill which looked down upon the village, his face bright ened somewhat.
 "Thank heaven there I shall find a few hours rest and refreshment for my self and this exhausted beast," he nut tered. And the mare pricked up her ears as she saw the village and heard his voice, and hastened her pace, as if she knew her riders intention.
 "Care for her well, said the stranger to the hostler, as he ahghted {" I am to sup and sleep few hours. and at 10 to night have her ready saddled at the door for l am in great haste to con- tinue my journey, and must then de part.
 The hostler promised, and the stran- ger, after eating hearty supper, retired to rest.
 Having well bestowed the mare, the hostler flung himself down before the stable door, and, considering that he had as much right to rest as any other man or beast in a free country, went to sleep himself.
 Whether he had worked or drank too much that day, certain it was that he overslept his time; and when he started up and hastily saddled the mare upon which the stranger was to continue his way it was Il o'clock and pitch-dark. | As the stranger, also, had overslept his hour, he did not so much blame the hosLler, but paid his bill, mounted l quickly and rode of, making no answer | to the remark of the man that there would he heavy storm before morning, as the clouds were already black and threatening.
 "Valuable information sneerei the traveller, as the. mare made unusually quick time over the road. Couldn't 1 see for myself? Had I not been in haste to get at the end of my journey, l should not, of course, have gone on be- fore morning, after forty miles of travel under summer sun. The deuce is in my luck, to be roasted by day and half I drowned by night, as this approaching storm seems to forebode. Ha! what a vivid flash The tempesti is coming soon- CT than I expected. How fast the mare goes A few hours have worked wonders with her; or. perhaps, instinct bids hel speed to escape the tempest, if possible. '
 A heavy crash of thunder, just then, startled both horse and horseman-tht opening cannonade of the elemental bat tie which was soon to sweep furiously around them.
 "She has been over-fed, or she is very skittish, " thought the horseman, as ht felt the tremor of the frightened animal'i limbs, and her gait for short distance becare irregular ''Our road lie. through 8 wood for few miles, as I an told and, when the shower is on us il full force, what with the lightning, tht thunder, the rain and the darkness she may become manageable. Per haps I had better stayed after all The mere haste the worst speed some ! times"