Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-01-02
CHAPTER Nv.

CHAPTERI Nv.
THE MEETING OF FOES.
The landlord hastily lit his lantern, and,
calling to the hostler and the stable boy
to follow, went outside. The curiosity OF
the loungers at this sudden appearance
and demand required that they should see
with their own eyes and hear with then
own ears, and all of them followed. The
tap-room was for few minutes deserted
by all but the seaman.
Nothing that had occurred had excited
him. Being left alone, he rose, put on
his hat, and, drawing forth huge silver
| chronometer, examined its face.
Almost nine, he soliloquized; 1T won't
do to wait much longer"
| HO took two or three turns about the
room. Approaching the parlor door, he
| applied his ear to it. An occasional
shutting of foot, or cough, was all
that he heard.
STOPPING down, he applied his eye to
| the keyhole. He could see that the roo m
was lighted, and the narrow range of
| vision afforded him showed him the tray
resting on the center-table, a part of it's
contents, hand and forearm moving up
and down, as if in the act of conveying
food from the tray to an invisible mouth
and some Of the hangings Of the wall
beyond. More than this he could not
| see.
The door leading outside had been left
| ajar. A murmur of voices came into the
room. The sailor crossed the floor,
leaned against the oaken casing, looked
ami listened.
He saw through the aperture left by
the unclosed door few stars shining
doubtfully in cloudy sky. He saw the
gleam of the lantern-light near the
stables, which were at the north end of
the inn. He continued to hear voices,
and, while he could not catch all that was
said, he heard enough snatches from the
irritated speech of the Captain, the OBJ
stinate utterances of the hostler, and the
! deferential expressions of the landlord,
to assure him what the trouble was, what
was wanted. and what it was found neces-
sary to do.
"A blooded Arabian, Mr.. Ryder-the
gift Of my brother officers. I wouldn't
have him crippled for"
Rest assured, Captain Courtenay, your
horse could not be in better hands than
those of my hostler, in all"
Hurt the gambrel joint. can cure
him; but he can't travel for q week,
Or
| Poor Mirabell Well, I'll leave him to
your care. Give me another horse, and
I'll"
Il am very sorry, Captain; don't keep
horses to let and"
Heavens and earth-dont talk that
way to mel Find one, Or"
/ There's not horse to be had within a
league. can't get you one Tonight"
But must 60 on! I'll walk, if"
The sound Of the voices seemed to drift
away and was lost to the sailors ear. He
heard footsteps returning to the inn, and
he resumed his chair and looked as in
different as before.
The loungers came back, one after an
other, and dropped into their seats. The
hostler and the boy remained at the
stable.
"A bad sprain, that, said one.
20, aye!-and Master Captain is in 0
bad temper over it. What's his hurry?"
@Why, doan' you hear what he said?"
Dang it, no; only that he was in
haste"
The first speaker Significantly circled
his head with his arm, as If with moose
He was perfectly understood.
~What-a marryin'?"
20, aye!-to-morrow night-down tc
the Pembroke Villa. And he was to be
there to- night"
We'll, he worthless he walks"
HE could"
i But he won't, Shut thy jaw; here
they come"
The landlord and his guest came in to-
gether.
Il am vexed beyond measure by thil
accident and its results" the latter said
1--we ridden him SO carefully from Ipswich
down; this is the second day I've been or
. the road; and to meet with such an acci
dent, so near the Villa. Heaven send me
patience! I'll take an hour to think wha
is best to do.
"You can easily get there in the morn,
ing stage by noon," suggested the land
lord. "Or by the middle of the afternoon
at the worst"
Yes, suppose SO; and pretty-look
ing bridegroom I should be, lettering
along in that kind of way. Confount
my luck!-at such time, tool Well, II
think Of it. I'm hungry, now that hap
pen to think of that; l dined very earl,
, at Colchester. and feel particularly likl
doing justice to some of your good fare
I'll eat and smoke and think it over
Send up something good to me in the par
Flor, and send in the London Gazette o
yesterday"
He strobe toward the door.
"One moment, Captain, the host cried
'The parlor is not ready; sit down here
minute, and"
1t is doubtful whether Captain Courte
nay heard him at all; if he did, he di'
, not understand His mind was fillet
with disappointment and irritation; hi
heart was at Pembroke Villa, and hi
, thoughts we're all bent upon the mean
to get there.
! So he entered the parlor, closed tn
door, and found himself alone with th
man who hated him beyond all men.
t ITo BE coNTINuED.l
} "LooK here, Pete, said KNOWING
, darky to his. companion, adon't star
: | on tha railrnad "Whv Joa % ssK az