St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1881-11-25

grew near the trail Jack espied his
prospective passenger, prone upon the
ground at the foot of the tree, appar-
rently resting. AS the rattling coach
drew near, the man bestirred himself,
and slowly arose.
"Hullo, driver Kin you favor an
old beggar with a lift I'm played,
fer I'm too old to tramp as l used to,
an too poor to pay for ride. Kin ye
gin me one 7"
Half in scorn and half in pity, yet
with brain awake to his danger, Jack
drew rein and replied TO his petitioner:
eyes Be lively and climb up here.
Pm behind time now. Where do you
goP"
The old man answered as he strug
gled to a seat at the drivers side /:
'EDicksOn's."
A touch of the whip and the horses
were again upon quick trot. Pool
eyed his companion as they rode on
ward and almost unconsciously drop
ped his hand to his boot top and
loosened the revolver carried there.
"Cool day for May !" said the new
conner, shivering. "This yer winds
sharp, too"
eyes," responded the other, mental
ly wondering where about his ragged
clothes the scoundrel had concealed his
weapons, ''it is cold, but you'll find it
warmer in the Pass"
"Sure 2" said the old man, leering
in Jake's face.
"Sure !" responded the worthy, his
blood chilling with the covert hint con-
veyed in the words, and he urged his
horses to yet greater speed. The grade
was sharply descending now, and the
road rocky and rough. A mile more
and the Pass would be reached. The
coach fairly swayed under its rapid
motion. Old Jim was forced to cling
to the seat with both hands in order to
avoid being hurled to the ground.
This was as Pool desired, and he smiled
grimly as he noticed the others ac-
tiOns.
"Yer-a drivin'-purty-fast ~ said
the gray haired desperadO, the words
fairly jerked from him as the coach
sprang forward, rocking from side to
side. "Ye'll-hev-to- -hold-up-at
-the-Pass-I
Jake set his teeth. The granite walls
of the Pass were now just before them,
and the roadway, descending and
steep, ran into the shadow of coming
night, and the gloom of the grave-like
Opening-a narrow path, but little
wider than the coach itself. The roar
of the angry river far below knelled a
never ending warning as it ran, rag
ged and torn, among the ragged rocks,
and the death like mist that crept up
ward was damp and chill. 81 won't
hold upw and, with these words, the
driver struck his horses sharply, and
snOrting they sprang forward into the
Devils Pass. At the same instant,
half way through the terrible gorge,
standing motiOnless in the centre of
the roadway, beetling wall of rocks
on one hand, chasm of unknown
depth upon the other, was seen a man.
Copper Tom was awaiting his quarry.
The old man at POOLS side uttered a
cry, and loOsening his grasp of the seat
with one hand, he would have thrust ii
into his breast, but the other leaned
suddenly toward him, and pressing a
revolver muzzle against his forehead
, whispered hOarsely:
"DOwn with yer hands, If yer stil
ag'in I'll kill yei | know ye, old jim,
an We can't catch Jake Pool nor his
load this time! Down with yel
; hands !"
The shuddering rascal's hand fell al
/ his side; his face grew ashen hued
and his eyes stared before him. They
were approaching Copper Tom. Fol
an instant, as they drew near, that
worthy stood facing them; then
: through the fading light, he saw the
r position of his pal, upon whom he haC
t dependable saw the furious horses
plunging down upon him-and with 8
terror stricken cry he turned and fled
e Could he but reach the lower end o.
the Pass he might escape-cOuld h'
find single spot to turn aside ht
t would be safe; but it was not to be
S Nearer and nearer thundered the iroI
+ shod hoOfs behind him, narrower anC
d. narrower still grew the fatal road, un
D til there rang a sudden, horrible, des
pairing cry, mingled with the fright
ened snort of the horses, dark some
0 thing went down before the plungin!
e steeds, rolled an instant under thei
J, grinding feet, and then, spurned b.
J., the flying wheels, was hurled, an un
e distinguishable mass, into the canol
e beneath, and the coach sped on.
4 Half an hour later Jake Pool pulled
4 into the corral at Dickson's ranch, ant
tumbling half-fainting man from tn
s seat at his side into the arms of the as
g founded hOstlers, he said:
o "Bind that man and give him to tn
k sheriff. It's old Jim, the road agent
:. His pard's at the bottom of the gulcl
u in the Pass; this one ought to stretcl
s hemp when the officers get him, AM
e I've driven my last run from Gallatin
= There's too much risk about the busi
s ness for me-"
s And Jake kept his word. He n
/ longer coaches it, but now keeps
e public house at Helena itself, where
V not long since, at his own snug fire
d side, he told this thrilling tale.