The form of the horse, cut out in black relief against the sky, was weird and ghostlike.

It was standing by the side of the road, apparently grazing.

As they approached it, its outlines became more defined.
"It has a saddle," said Steinmetz at length.

"What have we here ?" The beast was evidently famishing, for, as they came near, it never ceased its occupation of dragging the wizened tufts of grass up, root and all.
"What have we here ?" repeated Steinmetz.
And the two men clapped spurs to their tired horses.
The solitary waif had a rider, but he was not in the saddle.

One foot was caught in the stirrup, and as the horse moved on from tuft to tuft it dragged its dead master along the ground..