and spies and informers were generally of the vicinage. The stranger
was specially well mounted, and as his puzzled cogitation over the
significant silence that had supervened between them became so marked
as to strike Hite's attention, the mountaineer sought to nullify it by
an allusion to the horse. "That feller puts down his feet like a
kitten," he said admiringly. "I never seen nuthin' ez wears shoes so
supple. Shows speed, I s'pose? Built fur it."

"Makes pretty fair time," responded the stranger without enthusiasm.
The doubt, perplexity, and even suspicion which his companion's manner
had evoked were not yet dissipated, and the allusion to the horse, and
the glow of covetous admiration in Hite's face as his eyes dwelt upon
the finely fashioned creature so deftly moving along, brought suddenly
to his mind sundry exploits of a gang of horse-thieves about these
coves and mountains, detailed in recent newspapers. These rumors had
been esteemed by urban communities in general as merely sensational,
and had attracted scant attention. Now, with their recurrence to his
recollection, their verisimilitude was urged upon him. The horse he
rode was a valuable animal, and moreover, here, ten or twenty miles
from a habitation, would prove a shrewd loss indeed. Nevertheless, it
was impossible to shake off or evade his companion; the wilderness,
with its jungle of dense rhododendron undergrowth on either side of
the path, was impenetrable. There was no alternative practicable. He
could only go on and hope for the best.

A second glance at the mountaineer's honest face served in some sort
as reassurance as to the probity of his character. Gradually a vivid
interest in the environment, which had earlier amazed and amused
Constant Hite, began to be renewed. The stranger looked about to
identify the growths of the forest with a keen, fresh enthusiasm, as
if he were meeting old friends. Once, with a sudden flush and an
intent eye, he flung the reins to the man whom he had half suspected
of being a horse-thief ten minutes before, to hastily dismount and
uproot a tiny wayside weed, which he breathlessly and triumphantly
explained to the wondering mountaineer was a rare plant which he had
never seen; he carefully bestowed it between the leaves of his
sketch-book before he resumed the saddle, and Hite was moved to ask,
"How d' ye know its durned comical name, ef ye never seen it afore? By
Gosh! it's got a name longer 'n its tap-root!"