.

AN UNCOMFORTABLE LODGING.
A more astounding surprise than before awaited the lad.

His hair almost lifted itself as he found himself staring at vacancy, with no sign of a living person in sight.

Whatever had been the cause of this mysterious performance, it was very apparent that the solution rested not with the young fugitive.
"I'm tired of this," he exclaimed, impatiently, after he had waited several minutes, "and it is n't going to be played on me again." With this, he began clambering up out of the ravine, with the resolve to reach some place where no shadowy horseman could ride over him.
The climbing was difficult at first, but he soon reached a point where the inclination was not so steep, and where he could progress with much more ease and facility.

In this way he in time reached the upper level, and, believing himself out of range of his phantom pursuer, had time to look about for some sleeping-place for the night.
He frequently paused and listened, but could not see or hear anything of man or beast, and, confident that no danger was to be apprehended from either, he devoted himself to hunting for some refuge, that he could consider secure against molestation.