Then suddenly he gave
vent to a smothered cry, so startling as to cause the stranger to
spring hastily after him.

"Oh! My God! Oh! Look there!"

"What is it, man?"

"There! there! The picture! Don't you see?"

"Naw; I don't see nuthin'. Ye ain't gone cracked, hev ye? Whose
picture?"

"It's there!--O Lord!--it's there! My God! can't ye see?--An' it's his
face--all a-gleamin' with green flames--Holy Mary--an' I ain't seen
it--afore in--fifteen year!"

He seemed suddenly to collapse, and the stranger permitted him to drop
limp to the earth.

"Darn if I kin see anythin', old man, but I 'll scout 'round thar a
bit, jest ter ease yer mind, an' see what I kin skeer up."

He had hardly taken a half-dozen steps before Murphy called after him:
"Don't--don't go an' leave me--it's not there now--thet's queer!"

The other returned and stood gazing down upon his huddled figure.
"You're a fine scout! afeard o' spooks. Do ye take these yere turns
often? Fer if ye do, I reckon as how I 'd sooner be ridin' alone."

Murphy struggled to his feet and gripped the other's arm. "Never hed
nuthin' like it--afore. But--but it was thar--all creepy--an'
green--ain't seen thet face--in fifteen year."

"What face?"

"A--a fellow I knew--once. He--he's dead."

The other grunted, disdainfully. "Bad luck ter see them sort," he
volunteered, solemnly. "Blame glad it warn't me es see it, an' I don't
know as I keer much right now 'bout keepin' company with ye fer very
long. However, I reckon if either of us calculates on doin' much
ridin' ternight, we better stop foolin' with ghosts, an' go ter
saddlin' up."

They made rapid work of it, the newcomer proving somewhat loquacious,
yet holding his voice to a judicious whisper, while Murphy relapsed
into his customary sullen silence, but continued peering about
nervously. It was he who led the way down the bank, the four horses
slowly splashing through the shallow water to the northern shore.
Before them stretched a broad plain, the surface rocky and uneven, the
northern stars obscured by ridges of higher land. Murphy promptly gave
his horse the spur, never once glancing behind, while the other
imitated his example, holding his animal well in check, being
apparently the better mounted.

They rode silently. The unshod hoofs made little noise, but a loosened
canteen tinkled on Murphy's led horse, and he halted to fix it,
uttering a curse. The way became more broken and