Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1888-05-03

J miles behind like swift gliding panC
, rama of night in the lonely hills. L
hill, along the level, down the long d.
cline, through the level meadows an
pasture lands, up again breezily, stridin.
striding = ever the same long, eas,
bounding lope.
There was JasOn's place now, up o
the slope of Kinnel hill-seven mile
more to Nell at Sicklefield. l though
J., of her watching for me, anxious enough
| knew. l whistled to the mare. Sh
leaped to it gayly, and We whirled alon
down the long mile that skirts roun
kinnel hill and the Elder swamps, o.
again North over Harmony flats, till W
struck the hills again at Nine Mile rock
on the Joram road
So we held on through the Brandon
hills, keeping the long, low, flying lOpe.
Leaving the hills, the road dips dow
into Treacle hollow, and runs a straight
smooth mile, through thick, dark wood
of hickory and oak 1 felt little anx
ious about this mile of gloom ahead
1t was not just the road one would choos,
to ride on dark night, with $4,000 il
notes and bonds. 1 tapped up the mare
and we dashed down the slope and into
/ the woods black shade She was as
brave horse as ever trod or tramped
that fiery roam mare, Skylark. l let the
rein hang loose. She doubled her neck
sprang out, and galloped fierce as fire
| kept keen lookout, though L might
have saved M pains. 1t was dark as
the pit in that close grown tunnel OF
shade. Once out of this gloomy hollow
should not fear. There were only two
miles of the open high road beyond, with
houses scattered every little way We
tramped along through the hollow; !
kept the mare up to her BEST The long
level slipped behind. The woods began
to thin and Tighten little. A little
further on we struck slight ascent
the foot of our Hilbury hills. A minute
more and we should be clear of the
woods and safe. l felt the ground
steepen under us. Skylark slackened her
pace. The road was steep before us; 1
had ridden her hard, up hill and down.
felt safe now. l didn't care to urge
her. She labored up the ascent, breath
ing quick and hard.
A bright glare flashed in my eyes! A
crash in the bushes-the mare SHE'D and
plunged. A mans form, dimly seen,
was hanging by her bits. l struck my
heels in her flanks, drew my pistol fired.
The mare was plunging wildly; was
blind with the glare in my eyes miss
ed. l felt myself grasped from behind,
drawn heavily backward. 1 felt the
mare going from under me. kicked at
her furiously-fung the pistol at her
head as l fell. She snorted and plung-
ed made one great, frightened leap high
in the air, flung the fellow that her heav-
lily into the fence, and shot away up the
hill,
AS fell the light glanced one side
from my face and showed me the man
who held me full and plain. Tall and
light made, with small white hands, pale
face, black, silky side beard and mus
tache, keen gray eyes, thin lips and per-
feet teeth, long hair, glossy and jet
black. He was dressed in fine black
cloth, linen spotless and unruffied, and
high silk hat. l saw the light glance
from his polished boots, from diamond
ring on his hand. He had cigar in his
mouth. There was no passion or excite
ment in his face. He looked as cool, as
fearless, as devilish as ever l hope to see
the face of man, as he dragged me
back and threw me on the ground
me down by the throat.
''Jiberp' he called. "Quick, will yOup
L did not fight. The mare was off with
the money. knew there were two 9TH
ers at hand. 1 was unarmed 1 knew
they could quiet me quickly enough. l
knew that that cold, white, cruel face
above me would kill me without remorse
if it came to need. / thought of Nell,
and lay still. The man called Jiber
came crashing out with his dark lantern
in his hand. He wore slouched black
hat, was roughly dressed altogether a
rougher man than the other,
with cunning, sneaking face, written
all over in struggling characters with
his proper name of thief. He lighted
an open lantern and set it on a stone.
The third robber crawled up out of the
bushes and stones where the mare had
thrown him. The others called him
Chisel. He wore cap and suit of
dark gray coarse cloth. did not see his
face. He plainly studied to hide it
kept it in the shadow or turned away
He seemed younger than either of the
stout, but 1.-THE and quick as
a cat.
1t was only minutes time from the
first flash till / was lying quiet on my
back in the road, with that white faced,
jeweled devil holding me down, and the
others kneeling by us. They called him
the parson. They called the rough one,
with the brutal face and slouched hat,
Jiber, and the other ChiSel, as said.
"Chisel,' he said-his voice was clear
and calm" Chisel, hold the lantern
Jiber, cock your pistol. Put it to his
head. Are you ready?"
ave re ready, Parson."
1t was Jiber who spoke. The other
held the lantern between my face and his.
Jiber cooked his pistol, examined the cap,
and put the muzzle close to my head. l
felt the cold iron touch my skull. A con-
vulsive shiver went through me, shaking
me from head to foot. Iknew there was
little danger-that it was not to their in
terest to peril their precious necks. But
I saw the ruffian's villainous face, and
knew that a single twitch of the brutal
fellows hand was all that stood between
me and the awful mystery beyond. In
broad day, when there is no present dan
ger, when life swells strong in pulse and
limb, when the pale horse gallops far off
beyond the sunset hills of hope, take as
calm view of that certain but shadowy
as the rest, 1 suppose
But when the grisly phantom comes quite
close-when you feel his terrible numb
ing touch pnd his blasting breath on your
mot all the preaching since
Adam has made death aught but death"
"If he makes any trouble, Jiber," the
parson said, "blow out his brains"
He loosened his hold. The tramp of
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