The Vermont transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1864-1870, 1867-02-15


Suddenly something reused him
from it. Straight before him in the
road stood a mounted man, with a
black mask on his face and pistol in
his hand.
Halt" said the individual. foro-
ciously; and John halted, while his
bea st ceased to halt.
" If you are quiet you'll come to no
HARM" said the man. Il only want
your mailbag / happen to know
that it is worth something tonight,
aud I've followed You from the tavern,
There amt q, soul within hearing, aud
y6tisihay as Welt tks = 1t cooIly = I am
arnsea.f ybo see. xstt are not. Hahd
over the Tag. ~ssFs-
"NeverysatKl 0 othbemg'le bag is
in my care, entrusted to me; I'll guard
it as long as l have breath in my
body
That won't be long" said the man,
with coarse laugh, if you don't
listen to reason.
John, for reply, mounted his horse,
and sat behind his mailbag.
Your life is ia danger, said the
man. | intend to have those letters,
and a life isn't much to me. I'll spare
you though, for you may care for it;
and We heard you were a good fellow
enough; if you'll just make me no
trouble. I'm in earnest, You know;
no foollng,, and he took deliL crate
ann at John Hedwig's breast
John was unarmed, and he loved
lie dearly, but he was no coward 1t
was OF no use trying to outride the
mghwavman He had nothing but
ms hst-rather a useless weapon, un-
der such circumstances; but he
showed fight and as the rufian 5
anger kindled, he fred The ann was
good The little ball of lead lodged
III Johns coat, just where his heart
should have been and John staggered.
He was shocked rather than hurt;
and even III that moment of excite
ment he remembered having heard
that it was often so in mortal injuries.
Probably he had received his death
wound, and this highwayman would
walk Of with the mail bag, as John
knew well, reposed the ten dollars
Sukey Jones, at service, was sending
to her old mother, aud the money due
for little Charlie Browns tuition at
boarding school, SO hard as it was for
his sister to scrape it together; and
other trusts were III that leather bag II
The humble hopes and dreams Of those
who wrote the letters twined about
them.
The German and his infdel tracts
had done John Hedwig little good ;
but he was honest and kindly yet
I'm fight while | have drop of
blood left, said he to himself, land
help may come, and the mail bag be
saved t,even if | die
And he sprang upon the highway
man with such yigor that the man,
coolly waiting to see him drop dead,
was astonished, taken by surprise, and
tumbled from his saddle. And then
John struggled for his pistol, and
gaining it, quietly knocked the ruffian
senseless with the butt end, and sat
down on his bosom, keeping guard as
a party of young fellows, out for a
days sport, and all well armed rode
up toward the scene of action. They
all knew John well, and the more
Jealous were for despatching the high
wayman; but the voice of the MAORI
ty was for binding him and carrying
him to the city TO meet his reward at
the hands of justice, and with tn IS
party John conceded.
He felt weak, and his breast ached,
and he expected every moment to feel
the faintness of death stealing over
him, for there was the round hole Just
over his heart, and the bullet must be
somewhere.
A few unpleasant misgivings, which
proved that his opinions OF the future
were not so fixed as they might have
been, troubled him, and he sighed a
little as the new Corners questioned
him.
"The bullet went in here" he said,
touching the hole. Il don't feel any
pain, and it must be bleeding inwardly,
if at all | think"
Anu NC unDutlOltu MS Coal. NJ
sign of blood appeared Then his
vest was opened cautiously, aud out
dropped Lucy's little Bible, with the
bullet deeply imbedded in its cover.
Under God, the book had saved
Johns life
The tears came into Johns eyes,
and the others started, for John had
been in the habit of Boosting OF his in-
idel opinions. and it was odd enough
that he should wear Bible next his
heart; bnt every one was too glad to
find John unhurt, TO care for much
else, and they gave three cheers, and
started cityward with their bound
highwayman, il mighty glee.
John followed, leading his horse,
and keeping an eye to the mailbag,
and on the way he thought. What
be thought may be judged from the
fact that six months after, Lucy Hood
found her lover at her side in a church
meeting, and heard from his own lips
that he had not half as high an opin-
ion of his own smartness, and that of
his German friend, as formerly, and
that he believed she was half right"
And before long, it was evident that
Lob Il. 4