The Southern herald., 1894-12-14

D
sHalloo!" exclaimed the landlord
stout man with hoFid features and I
single inquisitiEe wstery eye. and b
came out on the front piazza; Il se'
by the paper tonight thet Dandy
Walker has broken eout O. DannemorI
prison. See-here It is in big toI
lines"
The landlord held up the paper fOl
the drivers scrutiny.
@Umphl" grunted the low browet
man; seems ter me heard some
thin about thet euss breakin' out o
prison. Good night, landlord. G'lana
therep'
The driver ehirruped and urged hi
team out into the roadway.
Say, you," shouted the landlord
whats the matter with Shorty
Benderg'
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 thet feller who has taken
'Shorty's' place for tonight" he NUT
tered. Guess Shorty must a-ROt
laid of 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 a corner Of the
vehicle. The latter person was q tall.
stylishly-dressed young man, possess
ing keen black eyes, He had strong
white hands, and on the ring finger a
large diamond sparhled.
Excuse me, madam" said the pas
senger with the keen eyes; ''allow me
TO offer you my seat, which, / think,
ismore comfortable than yours" And
he made room for the only lady pas
senger, who was decidedly attractive.
"You are kind, SIR" said the fair
passenger, and she sank into the
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 a mile"
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 drive as far as Bos-
ton over the old post road which Dam
iel Webster had travelled many times
while on the way from Massachusetts,
to New York. But the vehicle broke
down neEr 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 70 the
springs, where the white buildings of
the Shaker settlement nestled, and up
20 the little railroad station.
"The fatigue Of the journey" said
the lady, confidently, 'is nothing to
me. But I am sorry for poor dear Mr..
Irving, whose strength is hardly sufIl-
cient TO sustain such hardships."
The tall man appeared sympathetic,
and the invalid timidly proaered the
former q cigar.
"Since there are no objections TO
said the stranger. II shall
join You, sir"
Aglimpse Of several ancient ghostly
in afamily burying ground
was caught while the stage swept
down hill and rolled easily beneath
the arohing plumes of elm and oak
trees. A whippoorwill sounded It's
ioleiul cry on distant hill.
The lady broke the silence of the
last FIVE minutes. s'Everything here is
so dark and uncanny, she murmured,
half.fretfully.
A mounted horseman swept by and
disappeared in the direction the stage
was pursuing. The lady uttered
startled cry.
Don't get frightened, my dear"
aid the invalid, whose spirits seemed
10 rise, while his wifs's sank proper
tionately. This Is charming even
ng and We shall soon be out i'm the
"Are you not afraid-afraid Of high
vaymen. sir?" asked the lady neFv-
,usly, and she placed her little gloved
land timidly on the arm Of the stran-
yer.
mot in the least, my dear madam" /"
md the tall mans eyes snapped rogu-
SHY II a beam Of moonlight which |
lifted through The trees Il have
leyet heard Of road agents carrying on |
heir business n this part Of the
state.r
you are braver than most mem"
aid the lady, half sarcastically, half |
ldmirinRly. -Poor dear Mr. Irving |
iasn't strength enough to alight from
his coach nnassisted, and ] am only. q
woman. So, you zee, We toe are quite
lnnEolactada z