Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1898-06-02

coulu 1, nave Deen! He ala not be-
lieve in the existence of spirits. but he
did believe in the existence Of horse
thieves. He feared some of the latter
had played Il trick on Sam, and fright
ened him away. that they might MAKE
off with the horses. This alarmed hill,
excessively: and. putting the dogs Oh
the track that Sam had made in his
flight (for it hab become too dark in
the swamp to be guided by the sense
of vision). he followed them as speed
lily as possible to the place where the
horses had been left.
On seeing that both of the horses
were gone, Rumford was confirmed in
his idea that the whole affair had been
a ruse of horse thieves, and vented his
rage at Sam by pouring out a vOlley Of
imprecations and threats of venge-
ance that almost made his woolly hair
stand straight or end. Having thus
given vent to his anger and chagrin,
he was about to start for home, when
his attention was attracted by some
thing white lying on the ground near
by. and at which the dogs We're snuff
fling eagerly. On picking it up. he
found it to be lady's pocket haniker-
chief. spotted with blood. Instantly
it flashed upon him that that was
Zoras (Astrea's) handkerchief; and
that it was she who had personated
the Swamp Spirit, for the purpose of
frightening Sam and getting possess
sion of one of the horses to escape
upon. But what had become of the
other horse? Fora would not want
both, and she had no accomplish. This
part of the mystery he soon solved by
taking it for granted that the horse not
taken by Fora had broken loose to fol-
low after his companion, or to go home
and homeward Rumford himself now
went, with reckless haste that put
Sam to his best pedeStrianiSm.
1t was nearly nine o'clock when
Rumford arrived at his plantation,
where he found his Overseer, Steppins,
and several of the house servants in a
state of wonder bordering on alarm;
owing to the fact that the horse which
Sam had ridden away few hours be-
fore, when he went after the hounds
with his master, had returned home
alone and riderless. No sooner did
Rumford learn that the groom's horse
had returned than he made eager in
Quiries as to the direction whence he
had come and when he had arrived.
Steppins stated that he had met the
horse half an hour before. as he (the
overseer) was strolling down the old
Lighthouse road-the road that AS
trea had struck. on emerging from the
swamp, and which owed its name to
the fact that it led to the ruins of
lighthouse that years before had stood
upon a high point upon the river bank,
many miles below Rumford's planta-
ticn)-for walk. The horse was trOt-
ting along the road toward the planta-
ton, and Steppins. recognizing him,
had caught and mounted him, and rid
den some ways back to the house. to
await development of events. He had
become very uneasy, he said, about
absence of Mr.. Rumford and his
groom. especially as, upon examining
the bride rein of the horse, which
seemed to have been broken, he found
that it had been cut. ''This," said Step.
pins. showed that it was not altogeth-
er an accident that the horse was thus
found loose, and he couldn't account
for it,
81 CAM" said Rumford, savagely,
and bringing his hand down heavily
OIL the table before which he was seat
ed. Il can account for it. The bride
was cut by that girl Fora. l had
thought that the horse broke loose, in
order to follow Saladin; but now
see that she cut him loose, and took
him off on purpose to prevent immedi-
ate pursuit. She is a smart girl. and
no Observation-Disclosures too smart to
lose. Go to the stable, Sam, and sad
die Roanoke and Duroc. If you have
them at the gate in ten minutes, I'll
give you a silver dollar. If you do not,
Ill have you whipped"
Sam instantly disappeared, and
Rumford turning to Steppins, said:
"We'll give Fora another chase. The
moon is coming up bright-almost as
bright as day, and she has not more
than an hour the start. She must have
come cut of the swamp, upon the
old Lighthouse road, and then leaving
Sans horse to take its own course,
sine rode Saladin away in the opposite
direction. cannot afford to lose either
her or Saladin, and when it comes to
losing them both, that is more than
any man could stand. I'd ride all
night first--yes, half-a-dozen nights
and days in succession. That young
gypsy has excited my admiration.
What a pity she isn't really white.'
Auu EOluS " d CupUOdAu, AsuAAAoAu
took therefrom decanter and small
glass. and filling the latter with
brandy. tossed it off, with smack
of his lips. and said:
"That will keep off the night chills.
must give Sam dose of it, to keep
his spirits up. If you were only a
good horseman, Steppins, you should
go along with us. 1 think I"ll take
another glass;" suiting the action to
the word.
"There comes Sam with the horses"
he said. as he set down the glass.
"bring that bottle along, Steppins, and
the glass too. 1t will fire Sam up"
So saying, he strobe to the gate,
followed by the overseer with the
drinking implements. Sam was there.
inside of his ten minutes, and in good
spirits, at the idea of having won his
silver dollar. which We're still more ex-
hilarated when Steppins. at the COM
mand of Rumford, poured out and
handed him Il glass of the brandy.
go into the house and stay up till
l come back, Steppins." said Rum
ford, as he and Sam mounted their
horses; land keep that bottle for a