Amador weekly ledger., 1858-06-19

with regret, after merry renast when we
again halted for dinner, we heard him saw
he must now leave ia. as his recimant
was quartered in a town about six miles from
,nat "here we then were, and his road lay no
ionger IN the same direction as ours. He
shook hands very cordially with us all. and
we parted. Of course, when we resumed our
seats IN the coach, our conversation fell on
our late associate. The merchant praised
the good sound sense which shone through
all his gay banterng, and his willingness TO
oollge, and consideration for others. in all
those small things by which a person can
prove himself so pleasant or so eminentv dis
agreeable as a fellow-travelIer
lie certainly was very genteman-like
person, and very agreeable toon said the
lady, turning to me, "but did you not think
there was something peculiar in his voice ?n
Peculiar Not at all, Ma'am,n broke in
the merchant, who had taken vast fancy to
the young man, :" it was very pleasant
voice, and he was very pleasant felown
Still" said the lady, " | think his voice
was rery Pecnllar-so singular, that am sure
could swear to it anywhere, if | heard it
again.
| made no reply and nothing more was
said about the young man or his voice. We
conversed pleasantly together till we reached
the way-side inn, where we had tea. We
were to travel all night The day had been
beautiful but as the evening came on, dark
masses of grey clouds drfted over the sky.
The wind rose, every now and then peals of
thunder were heard, and continuous heavy
rain fell. Neither moon nor star was visible.
but at times the black clouds that bounded
the horizon parted, and vivid flash of sheet
lightning revealed to us the full dreariness of
the scene around-the white line of the road
we were pursuing stretching on-on, into the
black distance the bare, desolate common,
with here and there few stunted bushes,
pond or two, Of muddish reddish hue, and
few tufts of rushes growing by them but
no yestige of human habitations. not house
within sight not a sound to be heard but
the clatter Of the horses hoofs the rumble
of the coach wheels dragging heavily along
the rough stiff clayey road, and the plash,
plash, plash OF the rain drops, as they fell in
to the deep pools caused by the ruts. The
night, the scene, was gloomy in the extreme.
am not apt to be alarmed unnecessari-
y," said the lady, but | must say this is
dreary spot it looks like just such a place
as one would expect TO be robbed in | wish
we were safe in London"
The words were hardly out of her mouth,
when the coach suddenly pulled up. In an
instant my hand was upon the window, and
was about to inquire the cause of the stop
page when man. whose face was muflled
in Grape, rode up, and pointing pistol in at
the open window, exclaimed in fierce voice,
Your money or your lives"
We were not heroic. We very meekly
gave him the contents of our purses and
pocket-books, and then we were permitted to
continue our journey. For some time we were
all too much frightened to speak. AT last,
when we had crossed the dreary, desolate
common. and come once more within sight of
human dwellings, the lady said, " Mr.. Ben
son, do you think the highwayman's voice
was like that of the young officer who dined
with usY
." Like his, Ma'am ?' said the merchant
:" why the highwaymans voice was gruff and
fierce, aud the young fellows soft aud pleas
ant. You were too much frightened to no
tice or you couldn't have thought them alike
"Stil," said the lady quietly, =" / think the
voice was like his" 1t had not struck me
until she suggested the idea, but now on re-
Election, | also was convinced il was bis
voice, but | did not choose to say So The
remainder of our journey passed quietly. We
met no further misadventure, and were glad
enough when the coach rnmbled into the
streets of London Before we part" said
to my companions, "be good enough to tel
me the exact sums you have each lost, anc
your addresses also will give you mine
and then if any OF us hear anything more
about this highwayman, we shall be able tC
communicate with one another" OF course
they willingly asscnted
When the coach stopped, the merchant
sprang out and began to hustle his luggage
| helped the lady to descend, and as did so
said " should be glad of word with yol
alone Madame" She followed me into tht
inn. 81 want" said |, " to ask you befor,
we part. if you are sure that the highway
mans voice resembled the young officers
} Z" / am so sure" she replied, that | eoulC
swear to it. 1t was his voice p
al must confess it struck me, too, as being
J very like it," said / "but as we have NJ
J proof beyond mere conjecture, aud Mr.
Thomas positively denies it resembled it il
the least think it would be more prudent L
say nothing about the similarity | viii
, meantime make some inquiries, and let yo
know the result"
! al will do as You wish, Mr.. Benson" sh
, replied; ''after all might be wrong, and
, would not wish to injure an innocent person.
So we shook hands and parted. | called
/ chaise and drove to my hotel. On arriving
} there, | instantly sent ont for an Army Las
+ The young officer had told us in what reg