Dodge City times. [volume] (Dodge City, Kan.) 1876-1892, 1880-09-04


self badly. 1 jumped out and found
that one Of the animals had got q deep
cork on the offfoot. Igave such direc-
tions as considered necessary, and was
about to turn away when the hostler
remarked that he thought that came
alone. told him l did.
"Then where did youget that passen-
ger?" said he.
HE just got in," l answered.
SCOT in from where?"
al don't know"
swell. now," said the hostler,
Z" that's kind of curious. There amt
been no such man at the house, and l
know there amt been none at any of
the neighbours"
Let's have q look at his face" said
l. 1--WE can get that much at any
rate. Do you 60 back with me, and
when l get into the pung just hold
your lantern so that the light will shine
into his face"
He did as wished, and. as stepped
into the pung. got fair view OF
such portions of my passengers face
as were not muflied up. saw short.
thick frame, full, hard features, and l
could almost see that there was heavy
beard under the chin. l thought of
the man whom the Postmaster bad de-
scribed to me; but did not think seri-
ously upon it until had started. Per
haps 1 had gone half mile when l
noticed the mail bag wasn't in its place
under my feet.
.Hellor says l, holding up my
horses little, where's my mail?"
NV passenger sat on a seat behind
me, and turned toward him.
"Here is bag of some kind that
slipped back under my feet" he said,
giving it kick, as though he would
shove it forward.
Just at this moment my horses lumber
ed into deep snow drift, and l was
forced to get out and tread down the
snow in front of them, and lead them
through it.
This took me all of fifteen minutes;
and when 1 got in again 1 pulled the
mail bag forward and got my feet upon
it. As was doing this saw the man
taking something from his lap. beneath
the buffalo. and put it into his breast
pocket. This l thought was a pistol.
l had caught a CLEAN of barrel in the
starlight, and when l had time to re-
fleet I knew could not be mistaken.
About this time l began to think
somewhat seriously. From what had
heard and seen, l soon made up my
that the individual behind me not only
wanted to rob me of my mail, but was
prepared to rob me of my life. Ii re-
sisted him he would shoot me, and
perhaps he meant to perform that
delectable operation at any rate. While
Twas bordering the horses plunged
into a snow drift, and l was again
forced to get out and tread down the
snow before them. l asked my pas.
senger if he wouldn't help me, but he
didn't feel very well, and wouldn't try
so worked alone, and was all OF
quarter of an hour getting my team
through the drifts.
When l got into the sleigh again.
began to feel for the mail bag with my
feet. found it where had left it, bu
when attempted to withdraw my foo
discovered it had become fast in some
, thing-I thought it was the buffalo, ant
/, tried to kick it clear; but the more
kicked the more closely it held.
reached down my hand. and after feel
ing about few moments, found tina
, nv foot was in the mail bag. l fel
again, and found my hand in among tn
, packages of letters and papers. raj
, my fingers over the edges of the open
, ing, and became assured that the stou
leather had been cut with knife.