The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1898-02-17
'topd a splendid animal, evidently val

stoDd a splendid animal, evidently val
liable.
"a better steed nor yourn, sr!" cried
the ostler from behind him in a quiet
voice, and the gentleman gave start.
not thinking anybody was near.
AYE; mine has seen good service.
and he has been worked hard lately"
answered the stranger, good-humored-
ly. "A very fine animal. this, as you OBJ
serve. And YETI stepping back to look
critically at it, "were my horse in good
condition it might not be much inferior
to this. They arc not altogether un-
like-about the same height and much
the sau9 in color-brown''
With the last words the stranger
went back to the house whistling. The
ostler peered after him through the
dusk while he made his comments.
"You have got cheek, master, who
ever you may be, and an impudent
cheek it is, going and comparing of the
two hosses like that-this 5O-cuinea,
beautiful animal and that there
wretched old hack O. theirn! What
next? l wonder who they be when thev
be at home?" And with that he locked
| the stable door.
"Well?" cried the elder traveller.
when the other one returned. "Apy
chance?'
| "Never had better chance in all our
| lives" was the answer. "In the next
box to ours stands one of the grandest
animals you ever saw-same color,
same size, or about it; worth a little for
tune. And set of silver-mounted har-
ness hanging up by him.
| "Silver-mounted?"
"Thnk so. Looks like it. We have
got rich sAance, tell you, Wade"
| Supper x9s announced in due time
and the two hungry men did justice to
it. Afterward they sat over the fire and
retired to their room about / / clock
The room, a double-bedded one, was
not exactly on the ground floor. but it
was not much higher. A few steps lead
ing off from the staircase conducted to
it. The travellers had chosen it in pref
erence to the one at first assigned
them on the second floor, one of them
observing that he liked to sleep near the
ground in case a fire broke out in the
night, of which he had peculiar dread.
The first thing they did on entering
the chamber was to double lock the
door and put the candle out; the sec
ond was to softlyopen the window, to
stretch their necks out as far as they
conveniently could and to wish the
moonlight was hanged"
Nothing of a drop, that" observed
Wade, measuring with his eye the space
to the ground. IA child mi ght jump it
Shut down the window, Jim, and let's
have pipe. Hang that moon again!
thought you were wrong in foretelling
it would be dark night"
Shutting the window as softly as he
had opened it, Jim and his friend, each
taking short, well-worn pipe from his
pocket, sat down to smoke. From an
other pocket came flask. They made
themselves comfortable, and seemed tc
forget all about bed.
At any rate neither of them attempt
ed to go to it. They sat on and smoked
and drank occasionally, and whispered
together in hushed tones. At last the
clock struck two. One of them rose
drew aside the window curtain anC
looked out.
A suppressed shout of exultatior
broke from him. ''Wade! Wade! tn.
night has changed. It's raining ant
the moon is gone. l knew rain wa:
coming"
''Man alive, don't make that row,
retorted the other. eve don't want tn,
house woke up"
Putting away their pipes and flask!
they opened the window with crafty
gentleness and dropped down on th'
ground outside it, one after the other
The night was very dark; no light, no,
giimmer of it, was to be seen anywhere
Making their way round cautiousl,
to the coach house and stables, Jim pro
duced master key which undid th'
locks. The stable door he undid was tn,
one that had the valuable horse in it
and he was surprised to find out wha
an easy lock it was. Then, while th'
ether man kept watch he hastily an.
noiseless!v attached the horse to thei
own gig, using the harness he had ad
mired SO greatly. The rain was dash
ing down smartly, which tended t
deaden other sounds. When all wa
ready they cautiously led the hors
and gig out of the yard and to dis
tance beyond it, and drove away at
} spanking pace.
So far they were well satisfied wit
their nights work, and congratulate,
) themselves on the valuable prize the,
had captured in the horse and harness
: It's true the horse appeared to requir
) the whip pretty frequently, and jim
who was driving, did not fail to admin
, lister it.
Lazy beggar! He has stuffed him
self out with corn," cried he. "Yo
shall fast all this day, my gentleman
and that will bring you into workin
order. What a pelt it isl" Cooking u
at the pouring rain.) "Should say thi
was the clearing shower"
"What'll the job bring us in, Jim?"
! Twenty pounds clear, reckon. An