Gilpin observer., 1905-03-02

All lhlS the landlord told me with
a great deal of gusto. I assure you 1t
left vague unrest in my mind that
perhaps the old dame of Castle Drout
Had not tried to deceive Gil; that Mis-
tress Rosemary Allyn's maid had gore
by the river road; and that we were
pursuing the wrong coach
It was pitch-black about, though it
was yet morning. 1t was no unusua!
thing for people travelling from one
shire to another, to be lost in the bog
Such an occurrence would not pleas
ure us, for we might wander about
for days until discovered. Our only
safety, theTefore (for it was next to
impossible between the darkness and
the slough to keep our way), was in
giving the horses their heads, trust
Ing to their instinct. Now they swan.
now their feet touched bottom, and
so on, we went but with slow progress.
We entered space where the for.
est abounded upon both sides of us
and the top branches of the trees meet
over our heads while the low ones
swept the ground in places. 1t was a
narrow path way and secretive enough
for lovers trysts. Beautiful too no
doubt on summers day, but riding
through it in the dark was quite an.
other thing
My hat was swept off by one of the
spreading branches, and might have
been left hanging there a second Alb
'olom, had | not quickly ducked my
head
We could not even look to the prim-
ing OF our pistols, damp no doubt, in
their hostlers. The powder, however,
was safe. for the TASKS were In the
'addle bags hanging at the sides OF
the horses.
What place for gentlemen who
AXE to the road, and have neither re-
pect for time or persons. Fortu-
lately they like Tasty weather no
better than the rest of us, and on such
day unless in deucedly tight box,
were mostly likely to be found snug
md warm. drinking and carousing.
fighting and gambling, in some haunt
of their own.
Gils head careened first to one side
and then to the other. He gave a
sigh of relief. looked up to ask
why. He pointed ahead. l saw moth
ing. but as We had come out into the
open. supposed that that was the
reason. We had Travelled at least a
quarter of an hour ere read tnat sigh
rightly. 1t meant that the flesh pots
Of Egypt were near to hand.
In front of us there glimmered a
light. 1t was like a lone star half
way dowE the horizon. AS we drew
nearer it proved to be candle burn
ing a clumsy lanthorn, set at the
end of long pole curving over the
road
''Ah, It's tn. White Swami" ex-
claimed Gil. Il had not thought it was
so near"
Another sigh escaped him.
The White Swan it proved to be,
and the heavens tightening a trif1e,
showed us many things. One was Jock
Swan. the landlord. coming as quick
ly as his fourteen stone would permit
him TO welcome us. Another was the
magenta colored coach standing in the
court yard. and the rain restoring it
to its former pristine freshness.
Here is the coach" l said. pointing
to it, as we entered the inn yard, and
jumped off our horses. And as they
say in hunt the slipper we are getting
hotter Shall we ever reach that
stage in the game. known ss the
burning up one. wonder?"
With laugh | was about to push
open the inn door and enter, when
words uttered by mine host stopped
ms.
"'Tis not the old comfort. SIR" he
was saying. your father was used to
that you'll find. with the house filed
with those damnable hordes of JET.
frey's."
''Jeffrey's." / exclaimed, my mind
harping to one tune only. Did Jaf.
fr,y's men come in that?"
pointed to the coach.