The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1882-05-04
THE NAIL ROBBER.

THE NAIL kObBEH.
Fourteen years ago 1 drove from Dan
bury to Littleton, q distance of forty
two miles, and as had to await the ar
rival of two or three coaches, I did not
start until after dinner and very often
had a good distance to drive after dark.
1t was in the dead of winter, and the
season had been o rough one. A great
deal of snow had fallen, and the drifts
were plenty and deep. The mail that
I carried was not due in Littleton by
contract until o'clock in the morning,
but that winter the postmaster was often
obliged to ait up little later than that
hour for me.
One Cay in January when drove up
with my mail at Danbury the postmaster
called me into his Office.
@'Pete," said he with an important, So
rious look, there's some pretty heavy
money packages in that bag" and he
pointed to it as he spoke.
He said the money was from Boston
to some land agents near the Canada
line. Then he asked me if had any
passengers who we're going through to
Littleton. l told him that I did not
know,
Dub buDDOS0 L u0N0 nOts odlu L.
"Why," said he, "the agent of the
lower route came in to-day, and he said
that there we're two suspicious characters
he suspects that they have an eye to this
mail; SO it will stand you in hand to be
q little careful this evening"
He said the agent had described enc
of them as . short, thick set fellow about
forty years of age, with long hair, and a
thick, heavy clump of beard under his
chin but none on the side of his face.
He did not know about the other. I
told him guessed there WAS not much
danger.
"Oh, no, not if you have passengers
all the way through; but only told you
this 80 that you might look out for
your mail, and also took out sharp when
you change horses"
answered that should do SO, and
then took the bag under my arm and left
the Office. I slowed the mail away
under my seat little more carefully
than usual, placing it 80 l could keep
my feet against it, but beyond that did
not feel any concern. It was past one
when we started and 1 had four pas
sengers, two of whom rode only to my
Gowan's Mills at dark, when we stopped
for supper, and where my other two
passengers concluded to stop for the
night.
About six o'clock in the evening left
sGowan's Mills alone, having two horses
and pung.
had seventeen miles TO go, and Q
hard seventeen, it was too. The night
was quite clear, but the wind was sharp
and cold, the loose snow flying in every
direction, while the drifts were deep and
closely packed. 1t was slow, tedious
work, and my horses soon became leg
weary and FESTIVE. At the distance of
six miles / came to q little settlement
called Bulls Corner; where took fresh
horses. I'd been two hours going that
distance.
As was going to start man came up
and asked if / was going through to Lit
tleton. told him should go through
if the thing could possibly be done. He
said he was anxious to 60. and ~ he had
no baggage I told him to jump in and
was gathering up my lines when the
that one of the animals had got . deep
cork cut on the on foot. 1 gave such
directions - I considered necessary, and
was shout to turn away whom the hostler
remarked that he thought came alone.
I told him did.
"Thsn where did you got that passen-
gsr?" h inquired.
He Just got in" I aswered.
s'Got in from vhere?"
II don't know"
sWell, now" hid the hostler, chats
kind Of curious. There amt bssu no
such man q fhs house. and know thsre
ain'l been nons = any Of the nsiehbon.
"Lsts have . look st his leo" rid /.
/. eve On ~ ~ nueh, = any rA1s. Do
you 20 bock with -, ed vhsp ] 81
tnto - pung, - bsld yeur lantssn -
shat ~ lirh3 VIII dhfns into HE faee."
H IA = I ,winhod. - - ] steppNl