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Show 214 RICHARD HURDIS. "You're from below 1" asked Pickclt, with some show of cu-riosity. "No-from aboYe." "Do you go much farther 1" "I think not; I've got business in these parts, and shall re-turn when it's over." "Yon've a horse to sec to 1" 4 ' No, I foot it-l'm a very poor man." The lie was uttNed with habitual rcaclincss. The emissary }1ad hidden and hopplcd his horse in the neighboring woods. Tie was too ·well prnctiscd in his art to forego every precaution. Pickett had no other questions, and but little more was said for the time by citl1cr of the parties, all of whom seemed equally taciturn. rl'he wife of Pickett alone continued :mxious. 'l'hc searching glance of the stranger did not Jllcnsc her, though it nppearcd to have its impulse in curiosity alone. l 1crhaps, sus· pecting her husband's guilt, all circumstances removed from those of ordinary occurrence provoked her apprehensions. 'With a just presentiment, she had trembled on the stranger's knock and entrance, aml every added moment of his stay increased her fears. She had as yet hacl no conference with Pickett, touching the business which carried him abroad; and the pres· ence of their guest denied her all opportunity for the satisfac· tiou of l1er doubts. ller evident disquiet did not escape the notice of her husbnnd, but l1e ascribed it in his own mind to her desire to go to bed, wl1icb, as they all slept in the same apart· ment, was rendered somewhat Uifficult by the presence of the new-comer. His coarse mind, h owever, soon made this diffi· culty light. "Go to bed, Betsy-don't mind us; or, to make the mnttcr easy, what say you, stranger, to a bit of a walk-the night's clear, and not eohl neither 1 'Ve'll just step out till the old woman lies down, -if you please." " To be sure," saicl the other ; " I was about to propose the same thing to you." · The fears of P ickett were newly roused by this seemingly innocent declaration of the stranger - a declaration which, nt another time, would not have tasked a thougl1t. u Why should he wish to take me out to walk with hirn at 'l'IH~ :\fYSTIC BHOTIH:RUOOD. 215 ni~l1t-wl•y shoula he propose such n. tl1ing1" was his inwarcl infJ.uiry; and with hesibtting steps he conducted the suspicious guest from the hovel into the open ground before it. " I was just going to propose the same thing to you," said the strrmger tl1e moment they had got there," for, do you see, it isn't to lodge with you only that I come. I have business with you, my friend- busiuess of great importance." If Pickett was alarmed bcforC', he was utterly confounded now. "])usiness with me!" l•e cried, in undisguised astonishment; "what business - what business cnn you l1ave with me 1" and he stopped fu ll Hnd confronted the stranger as he spoke. ""' ell, that's wlH\t I'm going to tell you now, but not here; walk farther from the house, if you please- let's go into this thicket.'' "Into the thicket ! No, I'm d-- el if I do!" cried the now thoroughly-nlanued Pickett. " I 'll go into the thicket with no str~ngc~· tlirl.t I dou't know. I don't sec wlwt business you cnn haYe w1th me at all; and if you have any, you can just as well out with it here us anywhere else/' "Oh, that's just as you please," said the other coolly; " it ,\·as for your sake only that I proposed to go into the thicket, for the business is not exactly proper for everybody to hear; and there's no usc in calling the high-road to counsel." "For my sake 1 'Vhat the d- 1 do you mean, my friend 1 It's your business, not mine: why is it for my sake tl1at you wot•ld have me go into the thicket 1" " llecause it might bring you into trouble, if any cars besides our own were to hear me," replied the stranger with indifference. '' l?or my part, I don't care much where it is said, only to save you from :my trouble." ")(e from trouble-me from trouble ! I tlon't know what you can me:tn; but if you're serious, where would you havo me go1" " There-that thicket will do. I t looks dark enon"h for our business.'' 0 'l'he stranger pointed to a dense grove in the neighborhood, ~ut 01~ the opposite side of the road- a. part of the smnc forest m wlnch the reader will remember to have witnessed nn inter· |
