Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1895-03-30
OUR PHANTOM GUIDE

been washed away. Say, Hugh, what
ever are we to do after losing our way
in this fashion,"
Hugh Mcclure and I had been shoot
ing over Pe1thshire moor, and dallying
too long after game had been caught in
the descending night and the far more
unpleasant descending rainstorm.
"Blest if l know" answered Hugh,
wading his way out of mudhole and
shaking himself like a huge Newfound-
land dog
"Gonts, can guide you to place of
shelter, " said deep, hollow voice be-
side us. We both sprang back, for there,
but few feet away, stood o horse and
his rider, the dark mass being partially
distinguishable from the darkness of
the night around.
That horseman should be in place
where it was difficult for pedestrian
to get a secure footing was strange
enough in all conscience, but that he
should have apparently risen up among
us without any warming whatsoever
was stranger still.
"How did you ever steer your horse
down here?" | queried in tone that
l tried to make one of surprised pleas
ure, hut miserably failed i'll tho attempt.
II have lived on the borders of this
moor all my life, replied the voice,
and my horse knows every foot of the
way since he was a foal."
This explanation was satisfactory
enough for men in desperate circum-
stances. Hugh and thanked him for
bis proffored services and requested him
to lead the way We sought to obtain
a glimpse Of his features, but they were
wrapped in the inyulnerable gloom of
the night
As he passed / noticed that his horse
was very tall one and that it's eyes
shone through the darkness like the
eyes of a gigantic cat, but with far
more unearthly and ferocious light
than that Of the dooile grilnalkin curled
up before the fire, specializing profound
ly on the rise and fall of stock in the
rodent market.
Tho horseman rode q short distance
in advance, holding in his beast occa-
sionally to enable US to catch up. 1t
was hard task to do SO. The rain was
descending in torrents. The wind howl
ed and whistled across the moor. At
every step we sank above our boot tops
and often almost to our knees
A vivid flash of lightning shot across
our way. For an instant the features Of
our mysterious guide and the form of
his steed were revealed He was half
turned in his saddle and was glanoing
back at where we were laundering be-
hind. His face was like the face of a
skeleton covered over with tightly
drawn skin, through which two mali
cious eyes cleaned with a vindictiyeness
that was startling in its intensity. Over
his form and over that of his horse were
cast some long robes that looked like
the trappings Of funeral Car, the
horses head being also enveloped, save
for two eyelets, through which it sur
veyed US with the blazing eyes of an
unbroken mustang. The rider wore
tall hat like those worn by our forefa-
theirs 100 years ago and with something
fastened around tie brim that l could
have sworn was bow of Grape.
"For Gods sake, stop, Hugh" !
cried, holding his arm. "Did you sec
that fellows face? do believe he is no
living man. Not of our world anyhow"
Hugh Mcclure was as practical a
Scotchman as ever failed to appreciate
q joke or pass an examination i'll Ed
inburgh university.
Through the Opaque night l could
feel his withoring glance of scorn as he
made answer, eff you want to talk of
ghosts in the middle of this God for
saken spot in this heaven condemned
weather, you can do SO, Percy, but you
shan't have me for an audience" and
he forged on, calling to our guide:
'ln tho name of the first pilot, how
long will it be before you can steer us
to the world .again?"
The hollow voice came echoing back:
zone mile to the right is cottage
where we can find shelter. Come onl'
"a mile of this" walled Hugh. "Oh,
my sins have been many, but what I
suffer tonight should atone for all"
We had, however, passed tho worst
portion of our journeying, and tho foot
ing now became moro secure. Still the
rain descended In sheets, and tho wind
blew with a force that ofttimes threat
ened to sweep us off our feet
Like far distant star we at length
saw light ahead 1t appeared, then
disappeared, then appeared again.
"There is the cottage, \ said our
guide. "Wo will reach it soon now
"What a mean fellow not to offer MS
lift on his borser' grumbled Hugh.
II certainly have enough trouble to
keep my own footing not to have to
guide horse over these bottomless
holes, but he might have been civil
enough to make the offer anyway.
We were now proceeding over the
soft, damp turf Of the moor, and had
frequently stopped from time to time
to feel if the horse left any tracks be-
hind him. Not the trace Of a track could
find.
Hugh" ! whispered, that horse is
leaving no tracks behind him."
"Do stop your ghost stories," said
Hugh impationtly Anyhow, restrain
them until we get out Of this lost part
Of Scotland.
After half an hours trudging we