Year: 1868

The guide had started as directed, but
il was evident from his muttering that
he was alarmed at something besides
the action of his follower.


In the meantime the thunder had in
creased its violence, and the flashes of
lightning had become more frequent
and more binding.


Fer a while the two horsemen rcde
on in silence; the guide keeping up his
directions to the letter, while his fol-
lower watched his every movement, as
a cat would watch q mouse.


Suddenly the guide stopped and look
ed behind him. Again he heard the
click of the strangers pistol and saw
his uplifted arm.


"Have mercy, meinhecr,' he groaned,
81 dare not go on"


Il give you three seconds to go on"
replied the stranger, sternly,-"One"


"In Heavens name spare" implored
the guide, almost overpowered with fear,
"loOk before me in the road and you will
not blame me-"


The stranger looked. Atfrst he saw
something white standing motionless IN
the centre of the road. but presently a
fash of lightning lit up the scene, and
he saw that the white figure was indeed
CHASTITY and frightfnl enough looking TO
chill the blood in the veins of even the
brayest man. If his blood chilled for a
moment, therefore, it was not through
any fear that he felt for his ghostly in
terceptor, ,!for the next instant he set his
teeth hard while he whispered them
just loud enough to be heard by his ter
Tor stricken guide


"Be it man or devil ride it down
I'll follow.


With a cry of despair upon his lips
the guide urged his horse forward at
the top of his speed, quickly followed
by the stranger who held his pistol
ready in his hand.


In another instant the guide would
have swept past the dreadful spot, but
at that instant the report OF pistol
rang through the dark forest, and the
stranger heard q horse gallop of
through the woods riderless.


Finding himself alone, the stranger
raised his pistol, took debliberate aim at
the ghostly murderer, aud pressed his
finger upon the trigger.


The apparation approached quickly,
but in no hostile attitude The stranger
stayed his hand. At length the ghost
addressed him in q voice that was any
thing but sepulchral.


"Here, Wilhelm, ye move out Of your
perch this minute and give me Il help
ing hand. I've hit the game on the wing,
haven't IF


The stranger was nOnplussed for mo-
ment, but recovering himself, he grum-
bled something ulintelligible and leap
ed to the ground. One word to his
horse and the brave animal stood per-
fectly still. By the snow-white trap
pings on the would-be ghost he was
next enabled to grope his way in the
dark toward that individual, whom he
found bending over black mass about
the size of man on the road.


AS the tiger pOunces upon his prey,
the stranger leaped upon the STOPPING
figure before him, and bore him to the
ground.


81 arrest you in the Kings name"
cried the stranger, grasping his prisoner
by the throat and holding him
tight. "Stir hand or foot until have
you properly secured, and I'll send your
soul to eternity"


This was such an unexpected turn of
affairs that the would-be ghost could
hardly believe his own senses, and was
handcutfed and stripped of his dagger
and pistol before he found time to
speak.


"Are you not my wilhelm r. be
gasped.


"No, landlord, !" replied the individual
addressed, Il am not. Bat | am an Of
ficer of the King, at your service, on
spcciRl duty, TO do what have tonight
accomplished. Your precious son Will
helm, who you thought was leading all
innocent sheep to the slaughter, lies in
the road, killed by his fathers hand"


Two weeks later, at Bruchsale Prison,
in Baden, the landlord of the sign of
the Deer and the Ghost Robber of the
Black Forrest, who was the same iden-
tical person, having been proved guilty
of numerous fiendish murders and art
fully contriycd robbeTies, committed at
different times in the Black Forest,
paid the penalty of his crimes by let
ting fall his head from the cxecutioner's
axe, since when travelling through
has not been so perilous to
life and purse, nor has there been seen
any Ghostly Knight OF the Road in that