The new Northwest. [volume] (Portland, Or.) 1871-1887, 1877-04-20
The Border Heroine.

1uo DOIu6T n6fOlu6t
Some years ago, before the State of
Arkansas was so densely populated as
now, and when the mails from Little
Rock to the eastern borders were carried
on horseback, there lived a few miles
above Horsehead stout pioneer named
Jacob Burnap. His wife Polly and one
child nine years old made up his fam
lily. His chief business was hunting,
and his unerring rifle never failed to
supply his board and something over.
His nearest neighbor was fifteen miles
of, so he was little troubled with pry-
ing visitors.
1t was in the early spring that Jacob
started down the river with boat-load
of furs and skins. He left Polly in
charge of the premises; and he left her,
too, light rifle and brace of pistols.
She knew how to use the rifle, for never
was she happier than when her husband
patted her on the shoulder and said:
''Nobly done, Polly, my dear; 1 could
not have made better shot myself"
And he had occasion to say this with
truth, too.
Jacob Burnap had been gone four
days, when towards evening a horse
man rode up to the hunters door. He
was small, muscular man, some forty
years of age, and seemed Injured to all
hardships. AS he sprang from his sad
die, Polly made her appearance.
"Ah, Polly, once more here" the
newcomer said, as he drew a well-filled
pair of saddle-bags from the back of his
fatigued beast.
'Yes, and am glad to see you. Ja-
cob has been gone four days, and time
is getting heavy"
Jacob gone? Where?"
"Down the river with load of furs."
"Oh, yes. Well, you shall have the
company of Liant Morton for one night
at least, so for the next twelve hours
you'll be safe"
'Ohi leel safe enough" returned the
woman, quickly-'Ouly little lone
some"
Thus speaking, Morton threw his sad
dle-bags into the cabin and led his horse
around to a low shed, where he made
the animal fast and fed him.
After this he returned to the dwelling
and entered, and was soon discussing
the events of the time over an ample
supper. His hostess had told him all
that had transpired in the neighborhood
since his last visit, and the visitor gave
her all the news of the eastern valley.
Liant Morton had been mail-carrier
upon that route for several years, and
not once had he passed to and fro with
out spending a night at Jacob Burnap's.
In fact, he was about the only regular
visitor at the hunters cabin; and al
though the intervals between his visits
were long, yet he seemed almost fix
ture to the place. Polly Burnap, Just
in the bloom of womanhood, knew his
gentle, generous, noble character, so
she felt perfectly free and at home in
his presence.
at is not known on the route that
your load is valuable ?" asked Polly.
81 think not-though it may be. Still,
l am well armed, and fancy it would
be a very tough job for any one to tackle
old Morton"
ga man was robbed on the creek a
few days ago."
"And the robbers have fed" added
Morton, carelessly, as he drew his mail
bags after him.
Morton went to bed at nine o'clock,
as he was tired from his long ride.
Polly had work to do, having neglected
it while talking to her guest; so when
she had seen him safe at rest she drew
her basket to little table where the
candle was, and went to work upon
some clothing for her child, who was
soundly sleeping in a corner.
The old German clock upon the wall,
with its great weight and wind strings
all exposed, had just struck ten ere Polly
rose from her work. She had Just
pushed the basket beneath the table,
when the front door opened and two
men entered. They were in their stock
1ngs, theirshoes having been left outside.
"Hushw uttered the foremost intruder,
Speak one word above whisper, and
you die ui
Polly recovered from her quick terror
and looked up. She saw two stout,
wicked, ugly-looking men, one had a
cooked pistol toward her. With quick
ness of perception natural to her, she
knew the pistol would not be fired if
she held her peace, as that would make
more noise than she could make; and
further, she recognized in the foremost
a notorious intruder who bore the name
of Dick Gallus.
She had never seen him before, but
the minute description her husband
had given of the man led her to know
him-and positively, too, for one big
scar on the left cheek was mark enough,
"What do you want?" asked Polly,
without betraying the least fear.
awe have come to see the mail-car-
Tier," one replied, in a hoarse whisper;
t'where is he ?"
HE is long since asleep. Would it
not do as well to see him in the morn
ing? We can find you room and locg-
ing"
The fair hostess had said this for the
purpose of gaining time. She knew
very well that these men had come to
rob the carrier, and was equally sure
that they would murder him If they
could, and would in all probability put
her out of the way as we'll They had
evidently learned of the valuable load
he carried, and meant to carry it in bis
stead.
"Never mind his being asleep. Show
US where he is at once" roughly replied
Gallus, in answer to Polly's last re-
mark.
"But I can call him, good sirs,n rea-
soned the woman, calmly, though there
was alarm in her soul.
"Call him ! call !" growled the VIII
lain, with fierce oath. "You call him,
and you will be called to another world. |
Quick, show US the way"
The mild eye that could aim an uner-
ring bullet at the forest beast did not
sAven betray the thoughts of the wom-
= us soul, nor did look tell her mean
ing. She was very pale, but did not
trsmble.
''This way, sirs," she whispered.
And as she spoke she turned toward