Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1886-01-06

| GU KNOW, UerVdlSe, - SDe began
show long my father has been Ill, and
as you may suppose, things have not
gone so well with us as We could wish
Among other unavoidable misfortune;
he has been unable to pay his rent. Mr..
Carter, my fathers landlord, has re
fused to allow him the necessary time
TO make up the money; and we have
been IN daily dread of having the bal.
lifts put into our cottage. This morn
ing strange gentleman rode up to the
mill, and entered into conversation with
father respecting some OF the oldest in
habitants of Enley. Finding my ia.
ther well acquainted with the history o!
the families round, he asked him a
great many questions, and at last re-
quested my fathers consent to allow
him to leave his horse IN the stable
while he went to pay him visit. Re
celyng ready consent, the strangeT's s
horse, beautiful and valuable Great
ure, was quickly stabeled; and the
owner, after promising my father a
handsome reward if the horse was well
cared for, took his departure. lie had
not been gone loug when Mr.. Carter
himself arrived. demanding his rent.
without needing my fathers prom
Use that the money should be paid in
q month, he went into the stable,
where seeing the strangers horse, lie
instantly seized it, and rode off with it
as security for the money. In vain
we told him that the horse belonged to
a stranger.
"'Pay me my rent, said he, 'and you
can have the horse. ~
"Yo ou don't mean to say that he act
ually took the horse away with him,
Alicel" exclaimed Geyvaise, in sur
prise.
Indeed he did," replied Alice; land
the terror we were in all day, OF what
the stranger would say or do on his re-
turn, is beyond description. At last
he came; and my father, in great trouble
went to meet him to tell him the whole
circumstance. L watched their con-
ference from distance, and could not
hear word the stranger spoke, but to
my surprise he appeared more amused
than angry. At last after listening to
what my father had to say, he hurried
him off with all speed in the direction
Of Chamley. almost fear, from their
long absence. that something terrible
must have occurred"
Soon after this conversation, to the
surprise of his wife and daughter, Mr..
Melton returned in excellent spnits.
''Cheer up wIfel" he exclaimed, "Our
troubles are over at last"
''The horse. fatber?" asked Alice,
''what of that?-what does the gentle
man say to the loss of his horse?"
Nothing very dreadful. my child,' -
replied her father. he has recovered
possession of it; and fancy will make
Sthe hard-hearted old Carter pay pretty
considerably for his mornings work.
On my stating the facts of the case to
the gentleman, he quietly heard me
through: and then directing me to ac-
company him to Cbamley, he placed the
sum owed Carter ia ny hand. and d.
rcctcs 20 y -. ,..ss,e ss.,e sSst< .sess e. ~
residence, and pay the rent that vas
owing, adding, that on no no account
was to bring away the horse. but 20
say after getting the receipt for the
money, that the horse belonged to a
| gentleman who was perfect stranger
| for taking 1t.
"You would have been amused, Ger
vaise," continued Mr.. Melton, ''had'
you seen the change in the manner Of
Carter when stated that my errand
was to pay the money.
"'NOw, Mr.. Melton, he said, hand
ing me the receipt, I will send and
/ fetch your horse. Very fine animal,
Mr.. Melton; very fine animal, indeed
"'Don't trouble yourself, Mr.. Carter
l beg replied; my visit has nothing
whatever to do with the horse, which
as l told you this morning does not
belong to me. The owner OF the AMI
NAL is aware into whose hands he has
| fallen, and is prepared to seek satisfac-
tion according to his own Judgment. In
fact, / believe he is about to take out a
warrant of arrest against you on a
| charge Of horse-stealing. SO saying. L
prepared to quit the house.
"a most comical scene now ensued.
Finding himself caught in the meshes
of his own net, the old man entreated
me to take the horse. This l again re-
fused to do.
"Youare right, Mr. Melton" said
Gervaise; ''if ever man deserved to
lose ill-gotten gains, that old Carter is
the man."
"Wen, then, believe he has gotten
some OF his deserts this time," continu-
ed the miller. From what l could
make out, he was compelled to pay
down something like a hundred pound,
or be arrested as a horse-stealer, and
perhaps stand his trial, with the chance
of its turning out an ugly business IN
the end. Ny rent is paid for the pres
ent; and the gentleman told me, that L
might repay 1t whenever L found my
self IN position to do so, without the
slightest inconvenience TO myself or
family. / must confess to little bit
of Mother Ewes failing, though, Tor all
that, - continued Mr.. Melton; "for the
question of who or what this mysterl-
Gus stranger can be, has been running
through my head all the way home."
The miller was not singular in his Gu
riosity respecting the arrival OF the
stranger, who must have pursued
systematic course of espionage over the
actions of all the inhabitants Of EnlSy
during his stay, from the manor down
to Tom the bakers boy.
IL would not be much exaggerated TO
say that hundred reports connected
with this unparalleled event were in
circulation, though all agreed in one
particular, namely, in making poor old
Master Napier, the errand man, the
second hero IN the adventure, for every
body was forced to confess that the
strangers visits and inquiries all ap-
peared to tend principally towards him.
Nearly a year had passed since Ger
vaise Newland had quilted his native
village, and as he satin his gloomy Lon
don lodging, gazing abstractedly on
couple of open letters, bearing the En-
lev postmark the thought oppressed him
heavily Of how little of his sangulne
hopes and expectations had been realiz'
ed during this time.
The prospect of being able to claim
his bride was. to say the least of 1t, still
rather distant, which was the more to
be regretted, as Alice had lately lost her
father, and was now without any pro-
lection and companionship except that