National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1868-09-04

this, saw the man take something
from his lap, beneath the buffalo,
and put it in his breast pocket
This | thought was "A pistol. | had
caught the gl,am OF barrel in the
starlight, and when | had time to
reflect, | knew | could not be mis-
taken.
About this time l gan to think
somewhat seriously. From what !
had heard and seen. / soon made up
my mind that the individual behind
me not only melnt to rob me OF my
mail, but he was prepared to rob me
of my lite. Ii / resisted him he
would shoot me, and perhaps lie
meant to perform that delcctable
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 SHOW before them. iaSled
nay passenger ii he would help me.
but he didn't feel very well, and
wouldn't try; 50 | worked alone.
and was all of Il quarter Of an hour
getting my team all through the
drifts. When got into the sleigh
again, began to feel for my mail
bag with my feet. | found it where
| had lett il: but when | attempted
to withdraw my foot, ! discovered it
had become entangled III something
i thought it was the buffalo, and
| tried TO kick it clear; but tne
more | kicked the more closely was
it help. / reached down my hand.
and after feeling about q few miu
uteS, / found thdt my foot was in
the mail bag. | felt again, and
found my hand in among the pack
ages OF letters and papers. ran
my fingers over the edges OF the
opening, and became assured chat
the stout leather had been cut by a
knife.
Here was a discovery. | began
to wish | had taken 4 little more
forcthought before leaving Dan
bury but as | knew that making
such wishes WaS only Il waste OF
time, quickly gave it up, and be
gaa to consider what | had best to
do under the existing circumstances.
| wasn't long in making up my
mind upon a few essential points
First, the man behind me was a vii.
lain; second, he had cat open the
mail bag, and robbed it OF ) jmp val
uablc matter He muSt have known
the money letters by their size and
shape; third, he mealt to leave the
stage on the iirSt opportunity and
I tourthly, ac was prepared shoot mr
! If attempted to arrest or dctaiu
him.
reyolyed these things over in
my mind, and pretty soon Thought
/ OF Il course to pursue. knew If |
would get my hands safely upon the
rascal, must take him wholly una
wares, and this | could not do while
he WAS behind me; for his eyes
were upon me all die timr-So must
resort to Stra,agem. Only Il little
! distance ahead was Il house, ana an
old tdrmcrnamrd Longer lived there
, and directly before it huge snow
bank stretched across the road
! through which Il track tor wagon,
had been cleared with Shovels.
rs We approached the cot, | saw
light ii the front room, as | felt
confident | should, fer the old man
generally sat up till the stage went
I bN. drove on, and when nearly
opposite the dwelling. stood up as
had frequently done when approach
ing difficult places. ! saw The snow
haHh ahead, and cauld distin2us
thc'dcep cut which had been shoy
clrd through il. | urged my horse,
to good speed, and when near tn,
bank forced them into il.
One OF the runners mounted the
edge OF the bank, after which til,
other run into the cut. thus throw
lng the sleigh over about as quicl
eS though lightning had struck it.
My passenger ad not calculated ol
any such movement, and WASH
prepared Tor il: but had calculat
ed, and WAS prepared. He rOllcO
oul into the deep SNOW, with Il hraN,
. buffalo robe about him, while
alightcd upon my feet directly oi
top OF him. ! punched his head in
= TO the SHOW, and sang ont for ol,
Longec. | did not have to call
second timc, for tie farmer ha,
come to The window to see me pas,
and aS soon rs hr saw my S,cigI
overturned, hr had lighted his Ian
tern and hurried out.
"What's 10 pay :" asked the oil,
man as he caluc up.
/ "LtNd the horses into the track
and then come here said !.
As ! spoke ! partially looscnp,
my hold upon the Villains throa,
aud he drew a pistol from his hos
. ON; but saw It in season an,
jumped his head into the snow agail,
. aud got ;hc weapon away from hin
81 this time LongCc had led III
/ horses out and came back. and cN
/ planned the matter 10 hlm in IA f.,
q words as possible. We hauled III
rasca, out into ,lic road, and, upo
examination, We found about twrl
:, tS packages of letters which he la
sto.el iiom the mail bag, aud stowe
! away IN his pockets.
He sworc. and threatened an
!. prayed, but We paid no attention {
!. his hlarcy. Longcc got some stol
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