"Good morning, stranger!" he said.
"Good morning!" responded Walter, turning his head.
"I am glad to have company. It's a lonesome stretch of road here."
"Yes," answered Walter, carelessly. "But there isn't any danger, isthere?"
"Well, there might be. A friend of mine was stabbed and robbed herethree months since."
"Indeed!"
"Yes; and though I haven't much money with me, I shouldn't like to berobbed of what I have."
"It would be inconvenient."
"Do you carry much money with you?" asked the other, in a careless tone.
Walter was not disposed to take a stranger into his confidence.
"Not much!" he responded.
"You are prudent. Are you armed?"
Walter drew out Dick Ranney's revolver, which he still carried. Thestranger eyed him respectfully.
"That's a mighty handsome weapon," he said. "Just let me look at it."
Walter began to think he had fallen in with a highwayman again.
CHAPTER XXIX
WALTER BUYS A HORSE
"You can look at the pistol as I hold it," said Walter, in response tothe request recorded at the close of the preceding chapter.
"I say," remarked the stranger suddenly, "don't you want to buy ahorse?"
"How much do you ask for the horse?" he inquired.
"I want to get her off my hands. Give me fifty dollars, and she'syours."
Walter had a pad in his satchel and a fountain pen in his pocket. Hehastily wrote out the following form:
"In consideration of fifty dollars by me received, I give and transferto Walter Sherwood my roan horse." Here followed a brief description ofthe animal.
"Now put your name there, and I will hand you the money," said Walter.
"Thank you, stranger! You've got a good bargain."
"I agree to that," said Walter.
"I suppose the horse is sound?" he said inquiringly.
"Sound as a die! Don't you take no trouble about that. It goes to myheart to give her up. Good-by, old gal!"
Walter touched the horse lightly with his whip, and she bounded forward.After a few miles he reached a town of good size. Riding along the mainstreet his attention was drawn to a printed notice in front of a store.It read thus:
"HORSE STOLEN!
"Stolen from the subscriber, on the evening of the twenty-fifth, a roanmare, eight years old and sixteen hands high, with a white mark betweenthe eyes. Answers to the name of Bess. Whoever will return her to thesubscriber, or give information that will lead to her recovery, willreceive a suitable reward.
"COLONEL RICHARD OWEN, Shelby."
A terrible suspicion entered Walter's mind. He recognized the whitemark. Then he called "Bess." The mare half turned her head and whinnied.
CHAPTER XXX
WALTER FINDS HIMSELF IN A TIGHT PLACE
Walter had hardly time to consider what to do in the light of thediscovery he had made before the matter was taken out of his hands.
"Young feller, you'd better get off that hoss!" fell on his ears in arough voice.
He turned, and saw two stalwart men eyeing him suspiciously.
"Gentlemen," said Walter earnestly, "till I read this notice I had noidea that the horse was stolen."
"That's neither here nor there. You'd better get off the hoss."
Walter felt that this was a command, and obeyed at once.
"Very well, gentlemen," he said. "I will leave the horse in your hands,and depend upon you to return it to the owner."
As Walter spoke he turned to walk off, but the man who had firstaccosted him got in his way.
"I don't want to have any trouble with you, sir. Please get out of myway, and let me go."
"Not by a long shot."
"What do you propose to do with me?"
"Take you to the lockup."
Walter was now really alarmed.
"You'll have to go with us, young feller!" said Crane.
"And leave the hoss?" asked Penton. "We'd ought to take charge of it,and get the reward."
"That's so, Penton. You go and get a constable. We'll stand by thehoss."
Penton hurried off, and returned shortly with a constable in uniform.
"What's up?" he asked.
"This young feller's rid into town with Colonel Richard Owen's hoss."
"But I'd ought to secure the hoss," said the constable, who felt thatperhaps he might be entitled to the reward offered.
"Look here, Cyrus Stokes, you secure the thief--that's your lookout."
"Gentlemen," said Walter, "I object to being called a thief. I havealready told you I did not steal the horse."
The constable seized Walter by the arm and walked off with him. To addto his mortification, people whom they met on the street looked at himcuriously.
CHAPTER XXXI
IN THE LOCKUP
The lockup was a basement room under the engine-house. There were fourcells, about four by eight, and into one of these Walter was put. Thecell opposite was occupied by a drunken tramp, who looked up stupidly asWalter entered, and hiccoughed: "Glad to see you sonny."
"And I must stay in here overnight--with that man?"
"Hoss-stealers mustn't be particular," said the constable.
"Can you tell me where Colonel Owen lives--the man that owns the horse?"
"You ought to know that!"
"Is there any lawyer in this village?"
"Yes, there's two, an old man and a young one."
"I should like to see one of them. Can you ask one of them to comehere?"
"It's a leetle out of my way," suggested Constable Stokes.
The constable pocketed with alacrity the half-dollar our hero tenderedhim, and said briskly. "I'll send him right off."
"I shay," interjected the tramp, "send me a lawyer, too."
"The same man will do for you," replied the constable. "A lawyer won'tdo you no good, though."
"We're victims of tyrannical 'pression!" said the tramp gloomily. "Whatare you in for, young feller?"
"I'm charged with stealing a horse."
"Smart boy!" said the tramp admiringly. "I didn't think you was up tohoss-stealin'."
"I am not. The charge is false."
"That's right! Stick to it! Deny everything. That's what I do." Halfan hour later the outer door was opened and the constable reappeared,followed by a young man of about thirty.
"This is Mr. Barry, the lawyer," he said. "Mr. Barry, here is the key.You can keep it and let yourself out if you will be responsible for thesafe custody of the prisoner."
"Yes, Mr. Stokes, I will give you my word that he shall not escape.Which is my client?"
"You don't look like a criminal, certainly," said the lawyer, with arapid survey of his new client.
"I hope not."
"But one can't go by appearances wholly. As your lawyer, for I willundertake your case, I must ask you to trust me entirely, and give meyour full confidence.
"First, let me ask your name."
"Walter Sherwood."
"It will now be necessary for you to tell me frankly whether you stolethe horse or not."
"Of course I did not," answered Walter indignantly.
"You must excuse my asking the question. I did not believe you guilty,but it was necessary for me to know positively from your own lips. Youmust not be sensitive."
"I have no right to be, but I find myself in a very trying position."
"Of course, but I will try to get you out of it. Now, will you tell mein detail how the horse came into your possession?"
Walter told the story, and the lawyer listened attentively.
"Have you any proof of what you assert?" he asked, when Walter finished.
"There was no one present."
"I suppose not. Did no papers pass between you and this man?"
"Oh, yes!" answered Walter quickly, and he drew out the receipt which hehad drawn up and got Hank Wilson to sign.
"Come, this
is very important!" said Mr. Barry cheerfully. "It is a veryvaluable confirmation of your story. Will you trust me with it?"
"Certainly, sir."
"Is there any suggestion you have to offer, Mr. Sherwood? Sometimes Ifind that my clients give me valuable assistance that way."
"I wish you would telegraph to Colonel Owen to come here."
"Probably he has been sent for, but if not I will request him to come.Do you know the colonel?"
"No, sir; I never heard his name till I read the advertisement. Do youknow anything of him, Mr. Barry?"
"He is the owner of a large estate in Shelby, and is a thoroughgentleman of the old school."
"All the better! I would rather deal with such a man. Besides, bydescribing the man of whom I bought the horse I may put him in the wayof capturing the real thief."
"Well thought of. May I ask, Mr. Sherwood, if you are from this part ofthe country?"
"No; I am a native of New York State.
"A year ago I was a member of the sophomore class of Euclid College."
"That is strange!" ejaculated Barry. "What is strange?"
"Colonel Owen, the owner of the horse, is an old graduate of the sameinstitution."
"Is it possible?" exclaimed Walter, in genuine amazement.
"It is quite true. I am glad to have made the discovery. It willprepossess him in your favor, and this, I need hardly say, will bea great point gained. Well, I believe I have obtained all the data Irequire, and I will now go home and think over your case. I wish I couldtake you with me."
"I wish you could; I hate to be left in such a place."
"Cheer up, Mr. Sherwood. It won't be for long, I predict. You may restassured of my best efforts in your behalf. I will at once telegraph forColonel Owen."
The evening glided wearily away. Walter threw himself on his pallet andwas nearly asleep when a confused noise was heard outside, and heavyblows were rained upon the outer door.
"What does it mean?" asked Walter, bewildered.
He listened intently, and there came to his ears a shout which made himturn pale with terror.
CHAPTER XXXII
AN AWFUL MOMENT
"Bring out the hoss thief! Lynch him! Lynch him!"
"What's up?" asked the tramp drowsily, opening his eyes.
"Bring out the hoss thief!" cried a dozen rough voices, as the batteringat the door was repeated.
"They want you, young feller!" he continued, as he caught the meaning ofthe cry.
"What shall we do?" asked Walter helplessly.
"They don't want me," returned the tramp complacently. "It's you theywant!"
"You will stand by me?" implored Walter, eager for any help.
"Won't do no good! There's a crowd of them. You're in a bad box, youngfeller!"
"Have you got a pistol?"
"No."
Then it flashed upon Walter that he still had the revolver whichbelonged to Dick Ranney.
"I will sell my life dearly!" thought Walter, "They shan't kill mewithout some resistance."
"Open the door, or it'll be wuss for ye!" cried a rough voice.
The door was strong, but it did not long withstand the fierce attacksmade upon it. Walter, by the light that came in through a crevice, sawit sway and gradually yield to the impetuous attacks of the mob.
"Here's the hoss thief!" exclaimed the leader, throwing the light intothe cell occupied by the inebriate.
The tramp was alarmed and completely sobered by the terrible suggestion.
"I ain't the man!" he said. "It's that young feller yonder."
The man with the lantern turned in the direction of the other cell.
"He's only a kid!" he said doubtfully.
"All the same, he's the hoss thief!" said the tramp earnestly.
"Is he telling the truth?" asked the leader, turning to the men who werejust behind him.
"He looks most like the hoss thief!" said Dan Muggins. "The other's amilk-and-water chap, just out of boardin'-school."
"You're right! Smash in the cage!"
CHAPTER XXXIII
WALTER SAVES ANOTHER'S LIFE
Meanwhile the feelings of Walter were hard to describe. He saw thatperhaps his only chance of life lay in remaining quiet and letting themistake remain uncorrected.
On the other hand, the poor wretch was as much entitled to life as he.
"He's the hoss thief!" shrieked the tramp. "Ask him if he isn't."
The leader, who had him by the collar, paused, and the words of thecaptive seemed to make some impression on him.
"We don't want to make no mistake," he said. "Mebbe we might ask him."
"You hear what this man says?"
"Yes," answered Walter, in husky accents.
"Is it true? Are you the hoss thief?"
"No!"
And the poor tramp would have been dragged away, but Walter, his facepale, but resolute, held up his hand to secure attention.
"Listen!" he said. "I am not a horse thief, but I was put here chargedwith stealing the horse of Colonel Owen."
"Just as I said, gentlemen," chimed in the inebriate.
"Then we've got the wrong one!" said the leader. "Here, you can go!"
"We must have you!" went on the leader, approaching Walter's cell.
"What do you want to do with me?" asked Walter, with sinking heart.
"String you up! That's the way we serve hoss thieves!"
"Gentlemen!" said Walter, "you are making a terrible mistake.
"Didn't you say just now you was the thief?"
"No; I said I was put in here charged with horse-stealing."
An assault was made on the door of his cell, and within three minutesWalter was dragged out.
He began to speak, but was roughly ordered to shut up.
The line of march was resumed, and a quarter of a mile distant theypassed through a gate and began the ascent of a hill, at the summit ofwhich was a grove of tall trees. Walter shuddered and his heart sankwithin him, for he understood only too well what fate was in store forhim.
CHAPTER XXXIV
A TERRIBLE ORDEAL
At the summit of the hill Walter's captors came to a halt.
"Young man," said the leader sternly, "your hours are numbered. Have youanything to say?"
"I have a good deal to say," answered Walter, finding his voice andspeaking indignantly. "Even if I were guilty, which I am not, you haveno right to condemn me to death untried."
One of the masked men, who had hitherto stood in the background, cameforward, and in clear, ringing accents spoke:
"The lad says right. He has not been proved guilty, and I for onebelieve him innocent."
"I thank God," said Walter, "that there is one among you whose heart isnot wholly hardened. I stand here a boy--barely eighteen years old. Isthere no one among you who has a son of my age?"
"The boy is right," said another in a deep voice. "Men, we are actinglike cowards and brutes."
"So say I!" a third man broke in, and he ranged himself beside the othertwo.
"This is all folly!" exclaimed the leader angrily. "You men are milksopsand chicken-hearted." Walter's face flamed.
"Will you allow this?" he exclaimed, as the leader seized him by thecollar and drew him to a tree.
"I won't!" said the first man to pronounce in his favor. "SethPendleton, let go your hold!"
"Look out!" cried Pendleton fiercely, "or you may swing, too!"
"You hear what he says," said Walter's friend. "Why are you so hard onthe boy?"
"Why am I so hard on horse thieves? I'll tell you. Ten years ago I hada horse that was as dear to me as a brother. One morning I foundthe stable door open and the horse gone. I followed him, but I neverrecovered him."
"Who stole him?"
"A man named Dick Ranney, who has since become a noted highwayman."
This was astonishing news to Walter.
"Do you know where Dick Ranney is now?" he asked.
"I heard that he had been captured."
"I am the one who captured him, and for this I received a reward of athousand dollars!" answered Walter.
CHAPTER XXXV
THE EMPTY JAIL
Walter drew from his pocket a folded paper.
"Read that!" he said.
"MR. WALTER SHERWOOD:
"I have pleasure in sending you the reward for the capture of the notedcriminal, Dick Ranney.
"MILES GRAY, Sheriff."
"Shall I tell you the story?" asked Walter.
"Yes! Yes!" exclaimed more than one.
Walter gave an account of the affair in a clear, distinct manner.
"Now, gentlemen," said Walter, as he concluded, "do you believe that Iwould stoop to steal a horse?"
There were shouts of "No! No!"
And Walter might have gone scot free had he chosen, but he did notchoose.
"No, gentlemen," he said, "take me back to the lockup.