The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1891-10-31
PLOTTED BY A GHOST.

| ~ NY oGI llldl Was lOSl. Li'tu SuS-
pected the fact some time since, but
had stubbornly fought down the sus-
picion, though my horse evidently
realized it. With patient endurance
he plodded along, resignation plainly
expressed in the droop of his tail
and ears. In place of the ranch, the
hearty welcome, pleasant words,
bed, supper, and fire had expected
to reach by sunset, there was moth
ing to be seen before, behind, on
either hand, but the dead level of
the plain. There were paths in
plenty in fact, the trouble was there
were too many-alI narrow and
winding, for whose meandering
there seemed not the slightest ex
cuse, except the general tendency to
crookedneos most things, animate
and lnanimate alike possess.
But it would have taken the in
stinct OF 1 bloodhound or a trailing
Indian to have said which paths had
been made by hors-o' feet or those
OF cattle.
Now that the sun was gone,
found M knowledge OF the point of
the compass gone with it. As | sat
perplcXed and worried the gloom OF
twilight gathered fast and the chill
OF coming rain smote me through
and through, while in the distance
there was the roll ofthunder. Glanc-
ing up | saw that the masses of
cloud had closed together in cur
tain OF gray mist.
My horse strobe on OF his own &C
cord, and hoping that MS instinct
would lead Us to some house, | let
him have his will. Presently it be
gan to rain, sort OF heart broken
passionless weeping, but with
steady determination to persevere
all nigh, that awoke graver appre-
hension in my bosom than any
amount OF clustering, showery
down-pour could have done.
1t was now quite dark, and very
dark at that, though at short inter
vals close to the horizon faint CLEAN
OF lightning showed, too distant to
cast brightness on my path and only
sufficient TO intensity the blackneSs
about me.
All at once saw man walking
about hiten feet i'll front OF ME. Yes,
| know | said it was intensely dark,
but all the same repeat IL. l saw
a man walking III front OF me, and
furthermore | could see that he was
a large man, dressed in rough, but
well-htting clothes that he wore
heavy red beard, and that he looked
back from time to time with an eX-
preston OF keen anxiety on his
otherwise rather fixed features.
"ialloo !" cried, Dut as he did
not halt concluded he did not hear
me. As a second hail produced no
result | spurred my weary horse up
to overtake the stranger. But,
though the gray responded with an
alacrlty most commendable under
the circumstances, | soon found that
this strange pedestrian did not i'll
tend to let me catch up with him.
Not that he hurried himself. He
seemed without any eXertlon to keep
d good fifteen feet between u. Then
began 10 wonder how, with the in
tense darkness shutting me in as
four black walls, l was yet able to
see my strange companion so
clearly, to take in the detail of his
dress, and even the expression OF his
face, and thst at distance more
than twice my horse length when |
could hardly see his head before me.
| am not given TO superstitlous fan
cies, and my only feeling was OF
curiosity.
We went on in silence tor nearly
halt an hour, when, as suddenly as
he appeared, he was gone. l looked
around for him, hall afraid, from his
instant and complete disappearance,
that had been dreaming, when
perceived that | was close TO d small,
low building OF some sort. reined
in and shouted several times, but
not the slightest response could |
hear, and at last | rode boldly up
and tapped on the wall with my
riding whip Then, as this elected
no sign OF lite, | concluded that
had stumbled upon some deserted
house, or it was the abode OF my
eccentric friend SO, dismounting
and tying the gray, | resolved to
spend the rest OF the night under
roof or to find some good reason for
continuing my journey. | felt my
way along the wall TIL | reached a
door, and, trying this and finding
that it yielded to me, | stepped in.
side, striking a match as did SO.
Fol tunately, carried my matches
Ill an air tight case, and as it was
dry the one one struck gave me
/ light at once. | found myself in a
large room close 10 fire place, over
which a rude shelf was placed, and