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READING #5
Ichabod's hair rose upon
xx1xx head with terror. What was to be done? It was
now too late to turn and run; and besides, what chance was there of escaping a
ghost or goblin, if such it was, which could ride upon the wings of the wind?
Summoning up all of his courage, he said in a stammering voice, "Who are you?"
He received xx2xx reply. He repeated his demand in
a still more agitated voice. Still there was no answer. Once more he xx3xx
the sides of his horse, and, shutting his eyes, broke into a religious song. Just
then the shadowy object put itself in motion, and with a scramble and a bound
stood at once in the middle of the road. Though the xx4xx
was dark and dismal, yet the form of the unknown might now in some degree be ascertained.
He appeared to be a large horseman mounted on a powerful black horse. He made
no gesture of threat or greeting. Ichabod, who had no liking for this strange
midnight companion now quickened his horse in hopes of xx5xx
him behind. The stranger, xx6xx, quickened his horse
to an equal pace. Ichabod pulled up, and fell into a walk, thinking to lag behind,
but the other did the same. His heart began to sink within him; he tried to resume
his song, but his dry tongue stuck to the roof of his mouth, and he could not
utter a sound. There was something in the silence of his xx7xx
that was mysterious and disturbing. It was soon fearfully accounted for. On mounting
a rising ground, which brought the figure of his fellow-traveler in relief against
the sky, gigantic in height, and muffled in a cloak, Ichabod was horror-struck
on xx8xx that he was headless! but his xx9xx
increased on observing that the xx10xx, which should
have rested on his shoulders, was carried before him on the pommel of his saddle!
Adapted from The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Washington Irving