The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1860-08-07

badly | jumped out and went with
him, and found that one of the animals
had got deep cork cut on the off fore
foot. | gave such directions as consid-
cred necessary, and was about to turn
away, when the hostler remarked that he
thought l came alone. l told him |
did.
"Then where did you get that passen-
ger ?" said he
He just got in" answered.
:" Got in from where 20
81 don't know
! "Well now" said the hoster, that's
! kind o curious. There amt no such
man been at the house, and know there
amt been none at any of the neighbors.
I" Let's have look at his face,' said
|. We can get that much at any rate.
Do you so back with me, and as get
into the pung, just hold your lantern so
that the light will shine into his face
/ He did as | wished, and as stepped
into the pun, got fair view of such
portions of my passengers face as were
not muffled up. | saw short. thick
frame full, hard features and could
also see that there was heavy beard un-
der the chin. | thought of the man
whom the Postmaster had described to
me but didn't think seriously upon il
until | had started. Perhaps l had gone
halfa mile, when noticed that the mail
bag wasn't in its old place under my
feet.
Halo !" says | holding up my hor-
ses little, "where's my mail ~
Ny passenger sat on the seat behind
me, and, as | turned toward him.
Here is bag of some kind slipped
back under my feet" he said, giving it
a kick, as though he'd showed it for
ward.
Just at this moment my horses lum
bered into deep snow drift, and was
forced to get out and tread down ahead
of them and lead them through it.
This took me all of fifteen minutes
and when | got in again, pulled the
mail bag forward, and got my feet upon
it. As | was doing this, | saw the man
take something from his lap, beneath the
buffalo, and put it in his breast pocket
At this | thought it was pistol. had
caught the CLEAN of the barrel in the
starlight and when | had time to reflect,
| knew | could not be mistaken.
About this time | began to think some
what seriously. From what | had heard
and seen. soon made up my mind that
the individual behind me not only meant
to rob the mail, but he was prepared to
p1h IF / I l.
would shoot me, and perhaps he meant
10 perform that delectable operation at
any rate. While | was pondering, the
horses plunged into another deep snow
drift, and | was again forced to get out
and tread down the snow before them.
| asked my passenger if he would help
me, but he said he didn't feel very well
and wouldn't try; 50 | worked alone,
and was all of a quarter Of an hour get
ting my team all through the drifts
When | got into the sleigh again began
10 feel for the mail bag with my feet | |
found it where | had left it but, when
| attempted 10 withdraw my foot, | dis
covered that it had become entangled in
somethlng-l thought it the buffalo
and | tried to kick it clear but the more
| kicked, the more closely was it held [
| reached down my hand, and. after feel
ing about a few moments, found that
my foot was in the mail bag | fell
again, and | found my hand In among
the packages Of letters and papers | !,
ran my fingers over the edge of the open
ing. and became assured that the stout
leather had been cut with a knife
Here was a discovery. | began to
wish had taken lillle more forethought
before leaving Danbury but as knew
that making such wishes was only a
waste of time, quickly gave il up. and
began TO consider what | had best do un-
der the existing circumstances WASH
long in making up my mind upon few
essential points. First the man behind
me was a villain second, he had cut
open the mail bag. and robbed il of some
valuable matter. lie mast have known
the money letters by their size aud shape,
third, he meant TO leave the stage on lhe
first opportunity +; and. fourlhly, he was
prepared 10 shoot me ii attempted TO
arrest or detain him.
revolved these things over in my
mind, and pretty soon | thought of a
course to pursue. | knew if could get
my hands safely upon the rascal. must
take him wholly unawares, and this
could not do while he was behind me
for hls eyes were upon me all the time,
so | must resort 10 stratagem. Only a
little distance ahead Was n house, an old
farmer named Lougee lived there. and ,
directly before which was huge snow
bank stretched across the road. through
which track for wagons had been clear
ed with sho,els.
As we approached the cot, | saw ,
light in the front room, rs felt conf |
dent | should. for the old man generally
sat up until the stage went by drove
on, and when nearly opposite the dwell
Ing, stood up as had frequently done
when approaching difficult places. saw
the snow bank ahead. and could distin
guish the deep cut which had been shov
eled through IL | urged my horses 10 a
good speed, aud when near the bank fore {
ed them into it, One of the runners
The edge of the bank after which v