Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1872-01-05

gave this up, Tor knew that any decent
man would have asked me for ride
My next idea was that somebody had
J got in to sleep, but this passed asquickly
as it came, for no man would have brok.
en- into my cart for that purpose. And
, that thought, gentlemen, opened my
: eyes. Whoever was there had broken
ib.
, My next thoughts were of Mr.. Dick
Hardhead. He had heard me say that
my load was all sold, and of course he
! supposed that | had some money with
me. In this he was right, for | had over
two thousand dollars. also thought be
meant TO leave the cart when be suppos-
ed | had reached safe place, then eth
er creep over and shoot me or knock me
down. All this passed through my
mind by the time | had got rod from
the hole.
Now never made point to brag of
myself, but | have seen great deal of
the world, and am pretty cool and clear
/ headed under difficulty. In very few
moments my resolution was formed
My horse was now knee deep in the
mud, and / knew | could slip off without
! noise. So drew my revolver-l never
/ travel in the country without one-I
; drew this and having twined the reins
/ about the whpstock, carefully slipped
! down in the mud, and as the cart passed
/ on | went behind it and examined the
hasp.
The door of the cart lets down, and
is fastened by hasp, which slips over a
staple, and isthen secured by paddock.
The paddock was gone, and the hasp was
: secured il its place by bit of pine-so
that a slight force from within could
t break it. My wheel wrench hung in a
| leather bucket by the side of the cart,
E aud | quickly took it out and slipped it
into the staple, the iron handle just slid
: ing down.
! Now | had him. Ny cart was almost
r new. made in a stout frame of white oak
/ and made on purpose FOR hard use. |
: did not believe any ordinary man could
: break out, / got onto my cart as noise
t lessly as | got off and then urged my
: horse on, still keeping my pistol handy.
4 | knew that at the distance of half a
j.; mile further | should come to good hard
j road, and so allowed my horse to pick
: his way through the mud. About ten
:. minutes after this heard motion in
r the cart, followed by grinding noise as
though some heavy force we're being ap.
a piled to the door. l said nothing, but
e the idea struck me that the villain might
s judge where | sat and shoot up through
d the top of the cart at me, 50 | sat down
e on the foot board.
t OF course knew now that my unex.
5 pected passenger was villain, for he
e must have been awake ever since start.
+ ed, and nothing in the world but abso,
lutte villainy would have caused him to
d remain quiet so long, and than start up
}. in this particular place. The humping
d and pounding grew louder and louder
e and pretty soon heard a human voice
o Let me out of this, he cried and he
y yelled pretty loud.
n / lifted up my head so as to make hin
] think | was sitting in my usual place
= and then asked him what be was doing
1t there.
r Let me out and l will tell you," h,
r replied.
e Tell me what you are there for" sale
n |.
is az got in here to sleep OIL your rags,
he answered.
Il Let me out, or will shoot yor
] through the head, he yelled.
e just at that moment my horses fee
p struck the hard road, and / knew tha
d the rest of the route to Jackson woulC
d be good going. The distance was twelv,
t. miles. | slipped back on the foot boarc
d and took the whip. had the same hors'
le Eve got nova tall, stout, powerful bay
ot mare-alId you may believe there's som,
at 90 in her. At any rate she struck gai
re that even astonished me. She had re
Iy ceived good mess of oats, the air wa
cool and she felt like going. In fifteel
SO minutes we cleared the woods, and ava,
i. we went on a keen jump. The chap in
a side kept yelling to be let out.
At Finally he stopped, and in few min
b utes came the report of pistol-one-
n two-three-four, one right after th
ct other, and heard the balls whiz owe
I'd my head. IF | had been on my seat, on
ut of those balls, if not two of them, woulC
lie have gone through me. / popped m,
a head up again and gave yell, and thel
It. deep groan, and then said, 90, Go,
It, save mel I'm a dead manir Then
er made shuffiing noise, as though / wa
falling off, and finally settled down oil