Guy Rivers: A Tale of Georgia

overcome space hurriedly, if it attained not the desired destination. The rider did not suffer any of his own doubts to mar a progr

ut for the interruption already referred to, it is not impossible that a continued course in the same

rseman was fain to leave the horse to himself, finding quite enough to do in saving his eyes, and keeping his head from awkward contact with overhanging timber. The pace of the beast necessarily sunk into a walk. The question with his rider was, in what direction to turn, to extricate himself from the mazes into which he had

a panther lurking along some great overhanging forest bough. There was need to be vigilant. Either of these savages would make his propinquity known, at a short distance, to the senses of an animal so timid as the horse. Or, it might be, that a worse beast still-always worst of all when he emulates the nature of the beast-man!-might be lurking upon

his steed firmly, in a direction which seemed to open fairly, the sky appearing more distinctly through the opening of the trees above. Meanwhile, he kept his eyes busy, watching right and left. Still, he could see nothing, hear not

neck of the beast affectionately, and, in low

snug stall, and the dry fodder, and the thirty ears, for which you long. I'faith, old

e in front, seemed at once to determine the correctness of sense in the animal, and the sort of beast which had occasioned his anxieties. He was not much longer left in doubt as to the cause of the animal's excitement. A few bounds brought him unexpectedly into a pathway, still girdled, howeve

ast! what

m, either, judging by appearances; no panther, no wolf, certainly-a man only-looking innocent enough, were it not for the suspicio

weapon, for close quarters, concealed in his bosom. The appearance of the stranger was not, however, so decided a manifestation of hostility, as to justify his acting with any haste by the premature use of his defences. Besi

ir. Will it please you

yes! when you have paid

who appeared nothing daunted by the expression in the eyes of the traveller. His air was that of quiet indifference, bordering on contempt, as if he knew his duties, or his man, and was resolved upon the course he was appointed to pursue. When men meet thus, if they are persons of even ordinary intelligence, the instincts are quick to conceive an

activity. His face was not ill favored, though a quick, restless black eye, keen and searching, had in it a lurking malignity, like that of a snake, which impressed the spectator with suspicion at the first casual glance. His nose, long and sharp, was almost totally fleshless; the skin being drawn so tightly over the bones, as to provoke the fear that any violent

ler was unwilling to decide unfavorably. At all events, his policy and mood equall

s, whose aspects would enable them to pass, in any crowd, as very tolerable and becoming ruffians. This fellow may

precautions, to see farther into the designs of the stranger, before he resorted to any desperate issues. He replie

By what right, sir, and f

elf, than to answer those of other people. In respect to this

ce as well as insolence. Our trave

take your man, let me tell you. I am not the person whom you can play your pranks upon with safety, and unless you will b

then, rather than diminish. I hate to part over-soon with company that talks so well; particularly in these woods, where, unless such a chance come about as the pr

escape the notice of him to whom was addressed. His reply was calm, however, and his mind grew more at ease, more colle

my ear upon you; but as I have yet to find my way out of this labyrinth, for the use of which your facetiou

uld not desire so soon to break our acquaintance. If you have mistaken your road, what do you on thi

ion?" was the hurried and unhesitat

entlemen of our habit. Touching my right to ask this or that question of young men who lose the way, that's neither here nor there, and is important in no wa

however, by an expression of gravity, partaking of an air of the profoundest business. The traveller surveyed h

h men, or honest ones at least, are not yet commonly to be found. You think rather too lightly, my good sir, of m

I make no question," said the other, with a sneer

, if I am to pay this turnpike, at least, I ma

the doubts and curiosity of young travellers who go abr

weary of this chat," said the youth with a haughty inclination,

nswered. You have heard of

e of such an institution. I have

reason to discover, without suffering condign and certain punishment; and, unlike the tributaries and agents of other powers, its servitors, like myself, invested with jurisdiction over certain parts and interests, sleep not in the performance of our duties; but, day and night, obey its dictates, and perform the various, always laborious, and sometimes dangerous functions which it imposes upon us. It finds us in men, in money, in horses. It assesses

led in a half-covert

ufficiently well served, if I may infer from the representative be

as little time to lose as yourself. You now understand, young s

per of the Pony Turnpike. But have you made up your mind, in earnest, to

y of such a neglect to yourself, were I to do otherwise; always supposing you burdened with s

nd, to an elevation above and beyond all others of your profession. I admire the grace of your manner, in the commission of acts which

was something, too, of a searching malignity in his glance, that seemed to recognise in his survey features which brought into activity a personal emotion in his own bosom, not at variance,

lled, as is sometimes the case in the performance of my duties, to offer any rudeness to one seemingly so well taught as yourself. Knowing the relat

of so artificial a character, he forbore as yet a resort to violence. He found it excessively difficult, however, to account for the strange nature of the transaction so far as it had gone; and the language of the robber seemed so inconsistent with his pursuit, that, at intervals, he was almost led to doubt whether the whole was

aws, with a peculiar freedom and generosity of habit, and a gallantry and adroitness which, in a different field, had made him a knight worthy to follow and fight for Baldwin and the Holy Cross. Our young traveller was a romanticist, and all of these notions came severally into his thoughts. Whatever might have been the motives of cond

to part with much of it. A few shillings to procure you a cravat-such as you may get of Kentucky manufacture-I should not object to. Beyond this, however (and the difficulty grieves me sorely), I am so perfectly incapacitated from doing anything, that I am almost pe

plication. But the fact is, our numbers are just now complete-our ranks are full-and the candidates for the honor are so numerous as to leave little chanc

myself. It is quite unlucky that your influence is insufficient to procure me admission into your fraternity; since it is impossible that I should pay the turnpike, when the club itself, by refusing me membership, will not permit me to acquire the means of doing so. So, as the

th the rowel, would have proceeded on his course; but the position of the outlaw now underwent

om a ride over a road so perilous as this. You have spoken like a fair and able scholar this afternoon; and talents, such as you possess, c

the change in the situation of the parties. "I would not do you harm willingly; I want no man's blood on my head; but m

consequences. You had better come peaceably to terms; for, were it even the case that you could escape me, you have only to cast your eye up the path before you, to be assured of the utter impossibility

as such. The prospect grew more and more perilous, and the youth, whose mind was one of that sort which avails itself of its energies seemingly only in emergencies, beheld his true course, with a moment's reflection, and hesitated not a single moment in its adoption. He saw that something more was necessary than to rid himself merely of the ruffian immediately before him, and that an

w at the ruffian, which, as he had anticipated, was expertly eluded-the assailant, sinking under the neck of the steed, and relying on the

bridle upon which the latter hung, and the head of the horse, freed from the restraint, was as at once elevated in air. The suddenness of his motion whirled the ruffian to the ground; whil

he placed himself in advance of the now approaching banditti. Driving his spurs resolutely and unsparingly into the flanks of his horse, while encouraging him with well known words of cheer, he rushed over the scene of his late struggle with a velocity that set all restraint at defiance-his late opponent scarcely being able to put himself in safety. A couple of shots, that whistled wide of the mark, announced his extrication from the difficulty-but, to his surprise, his enemies had been at work behind him, and the edge of the copse through which he was about to pass, was [33] blockaded wit

f the strife, he felt not even its smart; and, turning himself upon the saddle, he drew one of his own weapons from its case, and discharging it, by way of taunt, in the faces of the outlaws, laughed

opelessness, indeed, of a second encounter with the same persons. He felt sure that he would be suffered no such long parley as before. Without restraining his horse, our young traveller simply regulated his speed by a due estimate of the capacity of the outlaws for pursuit a-foot; and, without knowing whither he sped, having left the route wholly to the horse, he was suddenly relieved by finding himself upon a tolerably broad road, which, in the imperfect twilight, he concluded to be the same from which, in his mistimed musings he had suffered his horse to turn aside. He had no

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