Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-03-12
CHAPTER Y.

! Secure of pursuit, and full of delight in the
mares easy motion, must have Travelled a
! good six miles before the moon rose. In the
! frosty sky her rays sparkled cheerfully, and
| by them l saw on the holsters the silver demi-
bear that knew to be the crest of the KILL
! Crews, having the fellow to it engraved on
/ my sword hilt So now / was certain twas
! Molly that | bestrode, and took occasion of
| the light to explore the holsters and saddle
! flap.
| Poor Anthony's pistols were gone-flched,
! no doubt, by the captain; but you may guess
/ my satisfaction when, on thrusting my hand
| deeper, l touched heap of coins, and found
| them to be gold.
Twas certainly rare bargain had driven
/ with Capt. Settle. For the five or six gold
1 pieces l scattered on the road, had won
! close on thirty guineas, as l counted in the
moonlight; not to speak of this incompatible
| Molly. And l began to whistle gleefully,
| and taste the joke over again and laugh to
| myself, as we cantered along with the north
wind at our backs
Ali the same, had no relish for riding
/ thus till morning. For the night was chill
! enough to search my very bones after the
heat of the late gallop; and, moreover, ]
knew nothing of the road, which at this hour
| was quite deserted. So that; coming at
length to tall hill with a black ridge Of
pine wood standing up against the moon like
a fish fin, was glad enough to note below it,
and at some distance from the trees, a win
! dow brightly lit, and pushed forward in hope
of entertainment.
The building was an inn, though sorry
| one. Nor, save for the lighted window, did
it wear any grace Of hospitality, but thrust
| out bare shoulder upon the road, and sign
that creaked overhead and looked for all the
world like gallows. Round this shoulder
of the house and into the main yard that
turned churlishly towards the hillsidel, the
wind howled like beast in pain. climbed
of Molly, and, pressing my hat down on my
. head, struck loud rat-tat on the door.
Curiously, it opened at once, and 1 saw
couple of men in the lighted passage.
Heard the mares heels on the road, Cap
Hillol What in the fiend's name is thisl'
Said l, ''If you are he that keeps this house,
want two things of you-frst, a civil
tongue, and next bed"
YEN get neither, then"
Your sign says that you keep an inn."
"Ay-the Three Cups but we're fulln
your manner of speech proves that to be
a lien
1 liked the fellows voice so little that It's
odds would have remoupted Molly and rid
den away; but at this instant there foated
down the stairs and out through the drink
smelling passage a sound that made me jump
Twas girls voice singing:
'Hey nonni-nonni-no!
Men are fools that wish TO die!
Is't not fine to laugh and sing
When the bells Of death do ring"
There was no doubt upon it. The voice be-
longed to the young gentlewoman had met
at Hungerford. l turned sharply towards
the landlord, and was met by another sur
prise. The second man, that till now had
stood well back in the shadow, was peering
! forward, and devouring Molly with his gaze
Twas hard to read his features, but then and
there would have wagered my life he was
no other than Luke Settles comrade, Black
Dick.
Ny mind was made up. "I'Il not ride a
step farther tonight" said l.
"Then bide there and freeze, = answered the
landlord.
He was for slalnlning the door in my face,
when the other caught him by the arm, and,
pulling him little back, whispered q word
or two. I guessed what this meant, but re-
solved not to draw back; and presently the
landlords voice began again, betwixt surly
and polite;
Have re too high a stomach to lie On
strawp
"oho" thought to myself, ''then am to
be kept for the mares sake, but not admitted
to the house," and said aloud that could put
up with q straw bed
Because there's the stable loft at your
service. As We hear" (and in fact the singing
still went on, only now heard a mans voice
joining IN the CATCH, "oUr house is full of
company. But straw is clean bedding, and
the mare III help TO pus in stall"
Agreed" said, ION one conditiou-that
you send out a maid to me with cup OF
mulied sack; for this cold eats me alive
To this be consented. and, stepping back
tnf1Ak,da r0rm With tbs othR .falldK. -
n E.aseaazr S--s~-s