Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-10-03
rest on the stony or muddy road Of

life.
one or the students asked to go on
Top. aud Nan IIuyten. II being too
uark Tor h'n 10 read. came inside with
us l had chance to scrutinIze him
Wen His eyes were gray. deem SET
eaiin and dominating: he wore a sandy
beard. carefully trimmed. and a curled
musache. and his forehead Vas broad
ana high. most Intellectual looking
man. more philosopher than n travel
er Tor some European house. as we had
taken him To be when we set out from
the railway station for this plunge
INTO the Interior OF the country. a re-
gion Innocent OF all acquaintance with
steam.
The short twilight OF the tropics grew
uim aud the stars came out one by one
the brightest first. In the huge dark
vault OF the sky. We were tired with
the long ride. and the coach going slow
ly- some OF us slumbered.
The leather curtains had been pulled
down. and the air was warm and close
~ country people seem to like II. their
Idea Of felicity being 10 be shut mn IN
a crowd all sitting Suddenly I was
awakened by current Of strangely
cold air: II was as il breath from the
polar regions had penetrated The. In.
terror OF the coach. locked to see II
q curtain had been relied IN. NADIA
Not an aper' irp - Ict In The. breeze
Then th" pluinp canon. arousing him
self. ShiVerd and turned his face. a
little bianched. toward me. I could
make II out for the bridegroom was
smoking cigarette close tu him The
air momentarily grew colder One by
one the slccpers awoke
The coach. just creeping along.
swayed gently from side To side. and Il
was apparent that we were making
progress over good bit OF smooth
road.
Van Huyten alone was mapping. His
face was just discernible as somebody
struck match and thought I had
never seen n nobler cOuntpnance than
that OF this man OF thought and spir-
itual beauty. "The cold air is very
strange" said the canon I'm low voice.
The little bride shivered. and her 20
year-old husband put his serupc around
her and she snugclcd up TO him. Ven
turita coughed as the cold reached her
lungs and was just saying. Il wonder
II change Is COM when at the rear
OF the stage were heard blows as II
made with big hammers We all start
cd. Ii seemed at first as II people had
shot Into the back OF the stage. Van
Huyten slept on.
The student inside rolled UP n cur
tain and, putting his head out. called
10 his companion on the box:
Il say, Manuel. are you up TO your
tricksY'
Marcelino leaned over the side and
said: Poor muchachoi He has been
asleep here half an hour. and have TO
look out that he doesn't fall of. 1t Is
dangerous, this going to sleep up here.
Once had n passenger fall or just
about he
And then Marcelino gave a cry: "Ho-
ly mother. What's that?"
All OF us who could put our heads
out. and what we saw we shall never
forget. The mules were travelling along
enshrouded In a greenish light which
played In little flames from their har-
ness, and there seemed to be shadowy
horsemen, all silvery gray. riding by
their sides with pistols drawn, We
were fascinated. Our eyes bulged. We
could not believe our senses. The can
on. who had not looked out. cried. Let
me see" He was given room, and his
deep voice smOte the night in wonder
and fear. "'Tis the DEVILS work. The
saints protect US, Tonight andan los
espantos (the ghosts walk, and II Is
that red bearded hereto who has en-
chanted u.s.
Van Huyten slept like babe. Not q
muscle moved. He was the picture OF
healthful manliness resting after many
fatigues. His soul was in the uncon-
scious, l thought
longer and with a howl jumped from
the box, followed by the scared Indian
mule tormentor. leaving the now
awakened student. who had sense
enough to gather up the reins. The
mules then began to be covered ut all
points, on the tips Of the ears. on the
name. along the spine, with tiny phos-
phorescent looking specks OF light. The
phantom party OF brigands. as they
looked, rode with Us, and one OF them
came up TO the off window and stuck
what seemed TO be a pistol into the
coach. Venturita swooned quite away
and sagged down Imply in her corner.
making stertorouS noise before she
went completely off. The little bride
also tainted most neatly and discreetly,
and the bridegroom's hair stood on end.
The student op top whipped up the
mules. and we went off at Il canter, the
strange lights continuing around them
and the shadowy troop cantering by
our side.
The noise at the rear OF the stage,
which we had forgotten In our agita-
tion, soon made itself more evident.
and there was a crashing sound among
the trunks and painted boxes. 1 could
stand II no longer and poked Van Huy-
ten III the ribsl
He came to slowly and looked puZ-
zled. We were all so plainly frighten-
ed. was plain that he had been far
from us In his mind Journey.
Look outv' cried the bridegroom.
"See these horrible things. II you
brought them to us, I'n'--
And the young valiant OF 20 years
fes