The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1888-01-26

I will be even with the rest Of you and W
can 90 homs,n sid SeaAst, = Lake cans
trotting up and swinging himself from shs
horses hack.
"Wouldn't old Simon be in q rage il
he shoald happen along now" said Tom
as he helped STUART to mount.
"This 10 about the best fun be ever fur
nished us," laughed Stuart, ~ he rode
away, "aad he'll nsver Be any the wiser
either"
He went olssssring up the road At q
good pace, and the bridge rough log
structure-was reached al too soon.
"I guess I'll 20 . little further" be
thought. "There's no telling when I'll
get another ride, and I'd better make the
most of this"
But he went even q shorter distance fur
ther than he intended, for, half way across
the bridge, the horse suddeply stopped
gave wild snort of terror, and began to
back. Stuart saw. that the animal waa
frightened by an old tree which, blasted
by lightning and deprived Of its bark,
stood at the other end of the bridge like
. ghostly sentinel, looking almost snow
white in the uncertain light; but, unac-
customed to horses, he did not know what
to do, and in his excitement and alarm
pulled too hard on one rein. The horse
reared, gave wild whirl, and the next
instant went plunging over the side OF
the bridge into the gulch, nearly thirty
feet below.
Strange to say, Stuart escaped serious
injury, being only stunned and bruised by
the fall, and at the expiration of a few
minutes was able to get up from the bed
of mud into which he had fallen. But the
handsome brown horse did not move he
lay among the weeds and stones with .
broken neck.
Stuart could not believe at first that
the horse was dead it seemed too hor-
rible to be true. But all his efforts to
rouse the poor creature proving futile, he
sat down, sick and white, upon the near
est stone, and shouted to his companions
for help.
But his shouts were 80 faint that it was
a long time before they were answered.
Then the boys came running mp, fright
ened at his long absence, but utterly un-
prepared for the dreadful news Stuart had
to tell them. They were terribly
shocked, and gathered about the dead
horse, uttering many expressions of dis
may and sorrow.
81 don't know how shall ever tell old
Simon," groaned Stuart. "Boys, he'll
just about kill me-"
"Tell him p exclaimed Tom Halpine.
"You're surely not going to be snch a
fool! What's the use of telling him
Well take away the bride, and the old
fellow will never know but that the horse
Jumped the fence and fell over here by
himself"
"It wouldn't be right to let him think
that" returned Stuart "No, I've got to
tell"
"And bring all the rest of us into the
muss, too, l suppose" said Ben Hopper.
"No; Pll promise not to mention any
of YOU. There's no need OF it that can
see."
"And l can't see that there's anything
to be gained by telling Peiffer," said
Luke. at won't bring the horse to life
again. What's the use of being such a
saint, Stuart p
81 don't pretend to be q saint" an
swered Stuart" but Pm not coward. l
shall tell Peiffer if be kills me the next
minute. It's all can do"
"Oh, you'll think better of it," said
Luke, as he removed the rope bride from
the neck Of the dead horse. A nights
sleep will cool you off"
But the night brought NO sleep to
Stuart, so tormented was he by thoughts
of the beautiful brown horse lying dead
among the weeds and stones below the
bridge, and when morning came it found
his resolution unchanged. He was, as he
had said, no coward, and he intended to
confess what he had done, irrespective of
consequences.
That Mr.. Peiffer would be very severe
he did not doubt for a moment. Perhaps
the old man would give him terrible
thrashing or put him into Jail. He was
sure to mete out a punishment equal to
the offense, and Stuart knew the offense
was very great.
He looked so white and hsggard when
he came down stairs at o'clock that his
mother uttered an exclamation Of alarm.
"You're sick, Stuart" she said, "you
can go straight back to bed. I'll attend
to the cow"
But Stuart shook his head and went
out to the stable to attend to the COW
himself. He had not told his mother
about his misfortune, for he did not want
to worry her. 1t would be time enough
to tell her when he had seen Mr.. Peiffer.
That she might not suspect that some
thing had occurred to trouble him, he
tried to eat his usual allowance of grid
die cakes at breakfast, but every mouth
full seemed to choke him, and he had to
give up the attempt in despair.
As soon as he rose from the table he
put on his hat and went out, despite bis
mothers prophecy that tho sun would
make him feel worse, and turned his
steps at once in the direction of Mr..
Peiffer's beautiful suburban residence.
He had prepared little speech with
which be intended to begin his confession,
but every word Of it fed from his mind
when he entered Mr.. Peiffer's grounds
and saw the old gentleman standing only
half dozen yards away, and an angry
look on his face and his eyes glaring at q
Young negro who stood before him look.
ing sullen and defiant.
"You needn't deny it, sir" were the
first words Stuart heard. II wouldn't
believe you on oath. You're the dullest
fellow 1 ever had around my stables, but
did think you had sense enough to put
the bars up when you turned . valuable
horse like that ont to pasture! You're
dischar0ed. and You needn't ask for 4