Вершник без голови

Chapter 73

           Iamnotcertainastotheexactyear—theunitofit—thoughIcanwithunquestionablecertaintyrecordthedecade.

           Icanspeakmorepreciselyastotheplace;thoughinthisImustbeallowedlatitude.Acircumferenceoftwentymileswillincludethedifferentpointswherethespectralapparitionmadeitselfmanifesttotheeyesofmen—bothonprairieandinchapparal—inadistrictofcountrytraversedbyseveralnortherntributariesoftheRiodeNueces,andsomesouthernbranchesoftheRioLeona.

           Itwasseennotonlybymanypeople;butatmanydifferenttimes.First,bythesearchersforHenryPoindexterandhissupposedmurderer;second,bytheservantofMauricethemustanger;thirdly,byCassiusCalhoun,onhismidnightexplorationofthechapparal;fourthly,bytheshamIndiansonthatsamenight:and,fifthly,byZebStumponthenightfollowing.

           Buttherewereotherswhosawitelsewhereandondifferentoccasions—hunters,herdsmen,andtravellers—allalikeawed,alikeperplexed,bytheapparition.

           IthadbecomethetalknotonlyoftheLeonasettlement,butofothersmoredistant.ItsfamealreadyreachedononesidetotheRioGrande,andontheotherwasrapidlyextendingtotheSabine.Noonedoubtedthatsuchathinghadbeenseen.Tohavedonesowouldhavebeentoignoretheevidenceoftwohundredpairsofeyes,allbelongingtomenwillingtomakeaffidavitofthefact—foritcouldnotbepronouncedafancy.Noonedeniedthatithadbeenseen.

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