Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1880-09-25


be mistaken.
Abont this time began to think
somewhat seriously. From what ! had
heard and seen, / soon made up my
mind that the individual behind me not
only wanted to rob me of my mail, but
was prepared to rob me of my life. I'll
resisted him he would shoot me, and
perhaps he meant to perform that de-
lectable operation at snv rate. While l
was pondering the horses plunged into
another snow drift, and / was again
| forced to get out and tread down the
snow before them. ! asked my passen-
ger If he wouldn't help me, but he didn't
feel very well, and wouldn't try; 50 l
worked all alone, and was all of quar-.
ter Of an hour getting my team through
the drifts.
When got into the sleigh again, l
began to feel for the mail bag with my
feet. found it where had left it, but
when l attempted to withdraw my foot
| discovered it had become fast in some
thing-I thought it was the buffalo, and
tried to kick it clear: but the more that
l kicked the more closely it held. l
reached down my hand, and after feel
ing about few moments, l found that
my foot was in the mail bag. felt again
and found my hand in among the pack
ages of letters and papers. | ran my
fingers over the edges of the opening
and became assured the stout leather
had been Gu: with knife
Here was discovery. began to wish
l had taken ilttle more forethought be-
fore leaving Danbury; but as | knew
making such wishes was only waste
Of time, quickly gave it up, and began
to consider what had better do under
existing circumstances. l wasn't long
in making up my mind upon few es-
sential points. First, the man behind
me was a villain; second, he had cut
open the mail bag and robbed it of some
valuable matter-he must have known
the money letters by their size and
shape; third, he meant to leave the
stage on the first opportunity; and
tourthly, he was prepared to shoot me
if attempted to arrest or detain him.
resolved these things in my mind,
and pretty soon thought of course to
pursue. knew that to get my hands
safely on the rascal | must take him
wholly unawares, and this could not
do while he was behind me, for his eyes
were upon me all tie time, so must
resort to stratagem. Only little dis
lance ahead was house, and an old
farmer named Lonsee lived there; and
directly before it huge soow bank
stretched across the road, through which
tracks had been cleared with shovels.
AS we approached the cot saw light
in the front room, as I felt confident |
should, for the man generally sat up
until the stage went by. / drove on,
and when nearly opposite the dwelling,
stood up, as l had frequently done when
approa ching difficult places. ! saw the
the snow bank ahead and could distin-
suish the deep cut which had been sho-
veled through it. | urged my horses to
a good speed and when near the bank
forced them into it. One of the runners
mounted the edge of the bank, after
which the others ran into the cut, thus
throwing the sleigh over about as quick
as though lightning had struck it. My
passenger had not calculated on any
such movement, and wasn't prepared for
it; and l had calculated, and was pre-
pared.
He rolled out in the deep snow with a
heavy buftulo robe about him, while l
alighted directly on the top of him, l
punched his head into the snow, aud
sung out for old Longee. did not have
to call second time, for the farmer had
come to the window to see me pass, aud
as soon as he saw my sleigh overturned
he had lighted his lantern and hurried
out.
whats to pay p asked the old man,
as he came up
Lead the horses into the track, aud
then come Aere,' said.
As spoke l partially loosened my
hold upon the villains throat, and he
drew pistol from his basom; but ! saw
it in good season and jammed his head
into the snow again, and got it away
from him.
BY this time Longee had let the horses
out and came back, and explained the
matter to him in as few words as posi-.
BILE.
We hauled the rascal out into the road,