The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-05-02
THE ROAD AGENT.
A STORY OF OUR FRONTIER.

liie Didck ILLS, lay Tor many miles
through an almost unbroken wilderness.
The track had been badly cut to pieces
by recent rains, and my progress was
much slower than vas either safe OF
pleasant. Sunset found me still many
miles from my destination, and | began
TO reflect upon the probability of a
nights lodging in the woods in no very
comfortable frame of mind.
My horse stumbled so constantly in
the increasing darkness that L was
forced at length to allow him to pick
his way at a slow walk. | had arrived
at a particularly rough part of the road,
and halted to make sure hat no pit.
fall lay hidden in the obscurity beyond,
when a form sprang out of the bushes
n stood beside me In the dull light
l could perceive that it was a small,
slightly built man, clad in shabby gar
ments, with a broad SLOUGH hat conceal.
ing his face, and that he held a pistol
in unpleasant proximity to my head.
What do you want?" l asked, with
what composure l could muster.
your money!" was the answer.
Filing it down into the road and ride
on,
The voice was singularly sweet for 4
mana rulian at that-and there was
a tremor in it that belied his threaten.
ing air.
1.-The man is a coward,n | said to
myself, then aloud: Suppose | refuse
to comply with your very reasonable re-
quest, what then?"
II sail blow your. brains out" was
the reply. Throw me your money,
and be quick about it,
l raised my hand from my side as if
to comply with his demand; but instead
of doing so l suddenly lifted my riding
whip and brought it down upon the
temple of my waylayer. The blow was
a powerful one, and he rolled under my
horses feet without a sound.
S%pringing from my saddle to grapple
with him, | found him PROSTATE and in
sensible, with the blood flowing copious-
ly from an ugly wound in the forehead.
In the act of lifting his head upon
my arm, his hat fell off, and a coil of
luxuriant brown hair fell over my arm.
Much astonished at this | bent over the
lifeless body, and beheld a pale, beauti-
full face, with small, delicate features,
whose expression, even in unconscious
ness, was that of mingled sadness and
despair. My assailant was IA woman,
young and bearing traces of refinement
about her, despite her rough male garb.
After a little search | discovered the
weapon with which she had threatened
me. 1t was an old pistol, broken and
unloaded. With an impulseI did not
stop to question, l thrust it in my
pocket. Then l turned to examine the
wound | had inflicted. 1t was a Slight
one, but would leave a lifelong scar
upon her temple.
What should such Il woman be doing
in this desolate region? What crisis of
misfortune had driven her to an act so
dangerous and unwemanly? There was
not time to reflect upon the matter,
for she stirred slightly, and a faint
moan of pain came through her pale
lips.
With a sense of deep remorse for the
violence l had done the poor girl, |
bound up her wound with my handker-
CHEZ and slipped a good portion of the
money l had about me into the pocket
of her coat. / felt that her need must
be desperate indeed.
After a moment her eyes opened, and
she gazed wildly around.
what has ~happened?" she said, con-
fusedly. 'Where is my father?"
Then she gazed at me wonderingly.
"Oh, | remember, }" she cried, in a
heart-rending accent. ooh, sir, If You
knew why l did it? Let mt go to my
father-pray, pray let me go!"
"You SHALL" said l soothingly; 81
will take you to him, for you are not
able to walk alone. Poor child 1t
was a mistake, and L was very brutal.
Say no more, but lean on me-"
She obeyed in silence, and singing my
horses bride Owe my arm, led her
down the road until she passed before a
miserable hut, whose battered aspect
and unlighted windows gave sorrowful
evidence of the poverty of the inmates.
AS l released her, she suddenly seized
my hand, and gazing up into my face
appealingly, broke into a upassion of
tears.
81 understand you," l said. mo
one shall ever know what has occurred
tonight from my lips. No wrong has
been done except through my Ihasty
violence; that / hope you will forgive.
Now go to your father"
Waving my hand in farewell, l
sprang upon my horse and rode away.
Cautious inquiry i'll the next town
elected the fact that the hut l had seen
was occupied by an old man of the name
of Windsor and his daughter, Julia.
They had come from the east some
three years previous, and had evidently
seen better days. Even now, miserably