The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-10-19
Midnight Ride.

six horses were slowly pulling their best
We were in q forest of mountains, eacl
spiked over its top by a row Of pine
standing straight and still against tn
horizon.
Exceptionally fine weather 1t was, tn,
stage-driver said, for this time of year
I was out on the box, you will under
stand, because it made me sick to rid,
inside, and for this once l was glad o
1t.
Suddenly, as we were crawling on thu
up grade road, round a projection aheat
Of us appeared q woman on horseback
Our driver frightened his slack reins
and gave a low peculiar whistle to hi
horses. Six pair of ears Strengthened
briskly, the tagging hoofs picked them
selves up and quickened their pace, and
every horse began to pull SO that We
fell into a smart trot. The horsewo.
man ahead shook her bride, and, with.
out warning, her pony stretched into a
sharp gallop, and as its flying feet struck
the ground she rose in the saddle like q
bird with a light, easy, graceful motion
Of the shoulder and a careless poise OF
the head. So we passed one another in
fine style, and as she dashed along the
road she was quite an excitement to
me.
L saw the corners Of the drivers
mouth jerking in a half-smile. He click
ed to his horses, hemmed a bit, arranged
his coat-collar, then fixed his gaze
between the ears of the offwheeler, and
said he: THAT'S Rosie Maguirel"
"Indeed?" Isaid, my eyebrows twist
ing into an interrogation point.
"Yes'm; Tim Maguire's daughter
over into the town, and as soon as we
get up this mount and strike the Bunk
er grade we'll be in there in less than
an hour.n
Rose Mcguire came into these parts
alone with her father when he opened
the ''hotel." Being without a mother,
she had nc bringing up, and early took
to horses.
There wasn't q young man there
abouts but had his eye on Rosie Mcguire
for a wife by and by, If she'd have him.
But Rosie she tossed her head at each
and all, though she threw a glance at
them from under her lashes. Among
these admirers vas a homely fellow
who'd have given hands and foot for little
Rose-one John Winstanley by name,
but called, for short, Johnny Win. II
ever there was one man at whom she
snuffed up her little nose it was Johnny.
She ordered him to her stirrup, and
noticed him when he came; she cut him
dead without a look, and again speared
him through with a glance; she smiled
upon the veriest good-for-nothings
when he was near, and at times he
wished he had been a dog that he might
shrink into a corner by himself, so hurt
and small he felt.
1t was rain, rain, rain, and the roads
became so unsafe it wa thought risky
to run the stage On account Of the
many ruts and the soft spots in the
track, down which the water had soak
ed leaving the surface clear and smooth.
1t came SO bad that one morning the
paid driver made it his business TO beg
off on account of the worry the trips
gave his wife.
"Then IN go myself, for the mail
must be brought" said Johnny Win.
"But if you break a neck there's no
one to cry for you" 1t was Rose said
it, having overheard him.
"AIl the same Miss Rosie; I'll go, and
perhaps the neck III break easier because
the breaking'l grieve no one."
Carefully he drove, and YEARLY he
watched the road, and it rained and
rained. Drops fell as big as an egg,
and broke upon branches and stones.
Five O'Clock was stage time, but no
stage came. Supper came and went;
people dropped in for the mail and went
home: the clock struck Z and still nc
stage. "He's probably waited over,
finding the roadsitoo bad to get in by
daylight, said one. "No," answered
Tim Mcguire; "Johnny's got too much
git up and git an reglar grit to be beat
by a road. Depend upon it, boys, he'll
in trouble somewheres with that stage
an horses. It'ud be worth a mani
life to find out, though"
1t was good 8 when certain assurance
was brought that the stage was Of real
ity on the road, on its back trip, by
horseman who had met and passed II
struggling along off among the hills
Many were the hands raised, palm out
ward, in dismay then; but when thu
men took look out of the window II
to the dead darkness, and heard thu
roar of the stream, and the swish Of thu
falling rain, they shook their heads
and coming back, spit at the stove ono
more.
And when the clock was on the strok'
of 8, a small form. a-tiptoe and a-trem
BILE, stole out the back doorway. Gu
to the stables Rosie few straight al
sent arrow; and her wi little bay mar
whined as the small hand slid rapidly
down TANKS, as bride went over neck
and saddle across back. She gathere'
herself together, and with a bound lik
a rabbit she was off and away in tn
dark.
:And then began the wild ride OF Rosi
Mcguire!