The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1895-03-23
OUR PHANTOM GUIDE

been washed away. Say, Hugh, what
ever are we to do after losing our way
in this fashion?'
Hugh Mcclure and | had been shoot
ing over a Perthshire moor, and d~allying
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 a mudholo and
shaking himself like a huge Newfound-
land dog.
Gents, I can guide you to a place Of
SHELTER said a deep, hollow voice be-
side Us. We both sprang back, for there,
but a few feet away, stood q horse and
his rider, the dark mass being partially
d~istinguishable from the darkness of
the night around.
That a horsemah should be in a place
where it was difficult for Il pedestrian
to get a secure footing was strange
enough in all conscience, but that he
should nave apparently risen up among
us without any warning whatsoever
was stranger still.
How did you ever steer your horse
down here?' l queried in a tone that
L tried to make II Of surprised pleas
ure, but miserably failed in the attempt.
Il have lived on the borders of this
moor all my life, replied the voice,
land 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
his protfered services and requested him
to lead the way. We sought to obtain
q glimpse of his features, but they were
wrapped in the invulnerable gloom of
the night.
As he passed l noticed that his horse
was a very tall one and that its eyes
shone through the darkness like the
eyes Of a gigantic cat, but with a far
more unearthly and ferocious light
than that of the docile grimalkin curled
up before the fire, specializing profound
ly on the rise and fall of stock in the
rodent market.
The horseman rode a short distance
in advance. holding in his beast occa-
sionally to enable us to catch up. 1t
was a 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 fash of lightning shot across
our way. For an instant the features of
our mysterious guide and the form of
his steed We're revealed. He was half
turned in his saddle and was glancing
back at where we were t~1oundering 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 vindictiveness
that was startling in it's intensity. Over
his form and over that of his horse We're
cast some long robes that looked like
the trappings of a 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 a
tall hat like those worn by our forefa.
theirs 100 years ago and with something
fastened around the brim that l could
have sworn was a bow of Grape.
For Gods sake, stop, Hugh!"
cried, holding his arm did you see
that fellows face? l do believe he is nc
living man. Not of our world anyhow
Hugh Mcclure was as practical {
Scotchman as ever failed to appreciate
n soho or pncc on vor,i.ot,O> -, ia
inburgh university.
Through the opaque night I coul(
feel his whitening glance of scorn as b.
made answer. ''If you want to talk 0
ghosts in the middle of this God for
saken spot in this heaven CONDEMNED
weather, you can do SO, Percy, but 70,
shan't have me for an audience an,
he forged on, calling to our guide:
"In the name of the first pilot, HOY
long will it be before you can steer u
to the world again?"
The hollow voice came echoing back
Zone Il! le to the right is a cottag
where we can find shelter. Come ont"
"A mile of this!' walled Hugh. "Oh
ny sins have been many, but what
sulfer tonight should atone for ALP
We had, however, passed the wors
portion Of our Journeying, and the foot
ing now became more secure. Still tn
rain descended in sheets, and the win,
blew with a force that ofttimes threat
ened to sweep US off our feet.
Like a far distant star we at lengtl
saw q light ahead. 1t appeared. the
disappeared, then appeared again.
"There is the cottage" said on
guide. 1--WE will reach it soon now"
"What q mean fellow not to offer u