The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-02-07

that l had better put the "barg on the
hoorse'' and not carry it myself.
No. told her, would carry it; she had
her bundle to take care Of As she talked
and held her bundle, my attention was
drawn to the thumb of her left hand. Its
nail was gone. 1t had apparently been
iammed off, leaving a peculiarly fresh pink
red scar In faot the entire end OF her
thumb above the joint was red and looked
iisigured and peculiar. Meanwhile, she .
talked on, and among other things told.me !
that her name was Betsy Ellen McNally, /
and that she was from Woodstock. When /
she had ridden mile OF two, my new 40
ouaintance began to tocomplain that the sad /,
die was 'sharred to Sit" Couldn't l strap !
the srbarg'' on the saddle, and let her throw
her old shawl over it2 and so as she SAID,
'kin two burreds with one stOne"-she
would have the 'easy sate," and the
''hoorse" would carry the ''barg."
Till that moment had not had sus-
picion that Betsy Ellen was not what she
claimed 20 be; but the thought that some
thing was wrong, caused by the tone of her
voice, came suddenly into my mind. In a
moment felt conscious OF danger and of
my responsibility, and that the sooner l
| could get rid of my new acquaintance the
better.
Gan right" said l. eli fix il
/ We had just come in sight of one Of the
watering troughs. led the horse up to it,
and told Betsy Ellen to slide off and sit
down on the end of the trough while did
as she had suggested. Placing the bag on
the saddle, first took an extra strap and
made it fast, then spread her old shawl on
top of it.
There's gay seat" said /, stepping
upon the side of the trough to pat it down;
and before the woman could be aware of
what intended, I had jumped on the
horse and gave him blow which caused
him to bound into the middle of the road.
"Ob, place stop, an for the love of mer-
cy don't be rOonin' away from me plead
cd the girl, starting up and dropping her
bundle.
glanced back, but gave my horse an
other blow seeing was really off my
persuasive friend suddenly changed her
conduct, Quick as flash out came pis-
tol, and whiz went ball from it within
two inches of my ear. But old Jed was
already on a gallop. We went round a
bend in the leafy road, and that was the
last l saw of ''the Province GirP' that day.
Officers were sent after the would be rob
Der, but they could not catch him.
The second winter after this my father
put n stage, "a large double sleigh y drawn
by span of horses, on the mail route. In
place OF old Jed, now drove the stage and
carried the mail also. / had plenty ol
, light freight and express matter, and wal
often 'full' Of passengers. Ny route had
, been heightened, and extended beyond
, D. to new place, which was called
r the supply depot"
One day in February I had three passen
, gers, two choppers going to work, and :
, well-dressed young man, who sat well muf
fed up, for it was pretty cold day.
7 stopped at D. for the passengers q
, warm themselves and get dinner, and tbi
? young man WAS so long eating his, that
. had to 60 into the dining groom. 20 burr,
him up. lie sat at the table with his bacl
, to me eating as went in, and saw hi
, gone, and the scar was OF a dull red color
I knew that thumb in an instant, and wa
. sure this was Betsy Ellen" 1t made nj
. nervous, but said bravely "All aboard =
4 and walked out.
| I didn't know what to do. "Betsy FL
e len was the only passenger from D. t
4 the lumber yard, too. He had considera
G BILE to say. He probably knew me wei
. enough that is, he knew l was the bo,
7 whom he had fooled and tried to rob of th
q mail bag. His Iname, he told me, (thI
I time) was Gleason. He was professiona
"scaler," on his way up to scale OF surve
o the winters cut Of lumber at the landing
= on the river. He had his "calipers" an
4 other instruments with him. l felt un
S comfortable enough, but kept quiet. an
v sure nevsr suffered so much from fear i
/ all my life as I did in going up from D.
! that afternoon The whole Of the way
4 had to sit with my back to ''Betsy Ellen,
IS and of course l expected every moment h
q would give me a blow on the head and 70
q the stage. He did not however, but II
e stead he was very quiet passenger. Th1
d name actually was Gleason, and that b
q really was their regular lumber scaler AT
/ WAS hired as such. But l knew be wa
n Betsy Ellen all the same, His voic
and the peculiar glance of his dull dar
eyes were only 700 well fixed in my memor
i ever to be forgotten.
, Next .day az L kirst told the pos
-s master there, and we then went and q
out a warrant for the arrest Of Gleason
II The sheriff went up on the stage with m,
Gleason was scaling two miles above IL
depot, at one or the lumber camps. I'll
d sheriff took two men and weat up to tt
er camp that evening. l went with him
point him out. Gleason was sEloking h
cigar by tie big camp stove whea we wei
II in "Wen, Betsy Ellen" said I, ''yo
. ratber played it on me two years ago, bl
1t now it's ny turn and the sheriff coiiare
as him. But he took i. very coolly. He s.
il still for a moment, VIXEN be began to iasR
is and laughed 80 violently that it seemed {
h if he never would stop.
The sheriff took him dc wn to D. thi
It night, and the next morning. he bad his e.
d animation. To my surprise he laughing
q admitted the whole charge against hin
{, With apparent fTankness he explained y
1 reason of bis being disguised a. girl III
'e day. He had been stopping up at C
n a town ten miles beyond D., and W;
( owing bills there. Being out of money,