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By
heavens
!
it
is
the
head
!
Even
the
unreasoning
animal
can
perceive
this
;
and
,
after
gazing
a
moment
with
wildered
eyes
--
wondering
what
abnormal
monster
thus
mocks
its
cervine
intelligence
--
terror-stricken
it
continues
its
retreat
;
nor
again
pauses
,
till
it
has
plunged
through
the
waters
of
the
Leona
,
and
placed
the
current
of
the
stream
between
itself
and
the
ghastly
intruder
.
Heedless
of
the
affrighted
deer
--
either
of
its
presence
,
or
precipitate
flight
--
the
Headless
Horseman
rides
on
.
He
,
too
,
is
going
in
the
direction
of
the
river
.
Unlike
the
stag
,
he
does
not
seem
pressed
for
time
;
but
advances
in
a
slow
,
tranquil
pace
:
so
silent
as
to
seem
ceremonious
.
Apparently
absorbed
in
solemn
thought
,
he
gives
free
rein
to
his
steed
:
permitting
the
animal
,
at
intervals
,
to
snatch
a
mouthful
of
the
herbage
growing
by
the
way
.
Nor
does
he
,
by
voice
or
gesture
,
urge
it
impatiently
onward
,
when
the
howl-bark
of
the
prairie-wolf
causes
it
to
fling
its
head
on
high
,
and
stand
snorting
in
its
tracks
.
He
appears
to
be
under
the
influence
of
some
all-absorbing
emotion
,
from
which
no
common
incident
can
awake
him
.
There
is
no
speech
--
not
a
whisper
--
to
betray
its
nature
.
The
startled
stag
,
his
own
horse
,
the
wolf
,
and
the
midnight
moon
,
are
the
sole
witnesses
of
his
silent
abstraction
.
His
shoulders
shrouded
under
a
serape
,
one
edge
of
which
,
flirted
up
by
the
wind
,
displays
a
portion
of
his
figure
:
his
limbs
encased
in
"
water-guards
"
of
jaguar-skin
:
thus
sufficiently
sheltered
against
the
dews
of
the
night
,
or
the
showers
of
a
tropical
sky
,
he
rides
on
--
silent
as
the
stars
shining
above
,
unconcerned
as
the
cicada
that
chirrups
in
the
grass
beneath
,
or
the
prairie
breeze
playing
with
the
drapery
of
his
dress
.
Something
at
length
appears
to
rouse
from
his
reverie
,
and
stimulate
him
to
greater
speed
--
his
steed
,
at
the
same
time
.
The
latter
,
tossing
up
its
head
,
gives
utterance
to
a
joyous
neigh
;
and
,
with
outstretched
neck
,
and
spread
nostrils
,
advances
in
a
gait
gradually
increasing
to
a
canter
.
The
proximity
of
the
river
explains
the
altered
pace
.
The
horse
halts
not
again
,
till
the
crystal
current
is
surging
against
his
flanks
,
and
the
legs
of
his
rider
are
submerged
knee-deep
under
the
surface
.
