Jed, who was still looking up the trail, suddenly leaned forward,
and, pointing into the timber to the left of the path, said in an
exciting whisper, "Look at that, Mister; yonder thar by that big
rock."

The stranger, looking, thought he saw a form, weird and ghost-like
in the mist, flitting from tree to tree, but, even as he looked,
it vanished among the hundreds of fantastic shapes in the gray
forest. "What is it?" he asked.

The native shook his head. "Durned if I know, Mister. You can't
tell. There's mighty strange things stirrin' on this here
mountain, an' in the Holler down yonder. Say, Mister, did you ever
see a hant?"

The gentleman did not understand.

"A hant, a ghost, some calls 'em," explained Jed. "Bud Wilson he
sure seed old Matt's--"

The other interrupted. "Really, young man, I must go. It is
already late, and you know I have yet to find a place to stay for
the night."

"Law, that's alright, Mister!" replied Jed. "Ain't no call t'
worry. Stay anywhere. Whar do you live when you're to home?"

Again Jed's question was ignored. "You think then that Mr.
Matthews will keep me?"