Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1894-11-30

S$%@~@ATIN above the rug
yed mountain tops, while the stage
stood, with its two new passengers, in
front of the Lake hotel.
The low browed driver gathered up
the reins from the dashboard. He had
hastily swallowed glass OF rye
whisky, which was pushed to him
across the bar, and handed the land
lord of the hotel the evening paper.
''Halloov' exclaimed the landlord,
stout man with ford features and
single inquisitive watery eye, and he
came out on the front piazza; 81 see
by the paper tonight tibet Dandy
Walker has broken eout O. Dannemora
prison. See-here it is, in big top
lines"
The landlord held up the paper for
the drivers scrutiny Ww
"Umph!'' grunted the low proved
man; .'seems ter me / heard some
thin about tibet cuss breakin' out O.
prison. Good night, landlord. G'lang
therel'
The driver chirruped and urged his
team out into the roadway.
"Say, you," shouted the landlord;
"what's the matter with Shorty
Bender?"
The driver paid no attention to the
query, and the stage disappeared In
the shadows which lurked in the high
way before the landlord could repeat
his question.
The boniface turned, with an ex-
clamation of disgust. II don't like the
looks of tibet Teller who has taken
'Shortys' place for tonight" he NUT
tered. Guess Shorty must a-got
laid off for drinking too much bad city
whisky"
AS the stage swayed and jolted up
the rocky road there was yet enough
light in the sky for the two passengers
who entered the stage at the hotel to
make out another passenger leaning
back comfortably in corner Of the
vehicle. The latter person was tall,
stylishly-dressed young man, possess
ing keen black eyes He had strong
white hands, and on the ring finger a
large diamond sparkled.
Excuse me, madam" said the pas
senger with the keen eyes; "allow me
to offer you my seat, which, think,
is more comfortable than yours And
he made room for the only lady pas
senger, who was decidedly attractive.
"You are kind, SIR" said the fair
| hn I'M
courteous strangers seat with little
sigh of contentment. "These roads
are so very, very rough that they
really wear one out before one has
travelled mile"
The gentleman who entered the
stage with the lady was silent. His
hollow eyes looked out gloomily on
the shadowy uplands, while the stage
was slowly ascending, and his round
shoulders-which were protected by q
light overcoat-bent forward, as if his
frame were too feeble to support them
without effort and pain.
In brief time the passenger with
the keen eyes and the lady were en-
gagged in an animated conversation
The former was soon aware that his
chance acquaintance and the hollow
eyed invalid were man and wife. The
two had driven in their coach that
morning from the manufacturing city
where the invalid was the principal
owner of large steel works, and In
tended enjoying a drive as far as Bos
ton over the old post road which Dan
iel Webster had travelled many times
while on the way from Massachusetts
to New York. But the vehicle broke
down near the lake hotel. The driver
returned to the city for another coach
and was unaccountably delayed. The
invalid became impatient, and finally
insisted that the journey be continued
in the stage coach, which ran twenty
miles over the mountains, down to the
springs, where the white buildings o.
the Shaker settlement nestled, and VI
TO the little railroad station.
"The fatigue of the Journey" sale
the lady, confidently, sis nothing t.
, me. But am sorry for poor dear Mr.
,, Irving, whose strength is hardly sufi
cient to sustain such hardships."
The tall man appeared sympathetic
and the invalid timidly proffered tn
former cigar.
; "Since there are no objections t.
smoking" said the stranger, II shall
join you, sir"
: For time the stage creaked ant
tossed like ship in storm while i
numbered along the road, and the fra
grant smoke of the Havanas foatet
s out on the clear, bracing air. Tn
moon had emerged from bank o
: clouds, and was touching hillside ant
valley with its mystic fingers. Befor
the stage lay field of buckwheat, nov
apparently round lake, encircled b
somber foliage, with the mist floating
low above the field.
A glimpse of several ancient ghostl
I headstones in family burying groun
a was caught while the stage swep
: down Hill and rolled easily beneat
the arching plumes of elm and GA
: trees. A whippoorwill sounded il
doleful cry on distant hill.
:. The lady broke the silence of tn
last five minutes. Everything here
SO dark and uncanny," she murmuree
half-fretfully.
A mounted horseman swept by an
disappeared in the direction the stag
was pursuing. The lady uttered
startled cry.
Don't get frightened, my dear,
S said the invalid, whose spirits SCENE
] to rise, while his wife's sank propo
S tionately This is a charming evel
C ing and we shall soon be out in tn
d clearing"
i "Are you not afraid-afraid of higl
wsymen, sir?n asked the lady ner'
ously, and she placed her little glove
D hand timidly on the arm of the stral
l. ger.