, 1882-04-28

! portions of my passengers face as were
not muhled up. / saw a short, thick
frame full, hard features, and | could
! almost see that there was a heavy beard
under the chin. | thought of the man
whom the postmaster had described to
me. but | did not think seriously upon
it until ] had started. Perhaps | had
gone half mile when | noticed the mail
bag wasn't in its place under my feet.
"Hello" says l, holding up my horses
little, where's my mail?"
My passenger sat on seat behind me,
and turned toward him.
Here is bag of some kind that slip
ped back under my feet, he said giving
it kick as though he would shove it
forward.
just at this moment my horses lum-
bered into deep snow drift, and | 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 got in again / pulled the
mail bag forward and got my feet upon
it, As / was doing this I saw the man
taking something from his lap, beneath
the buffalo, and put it into his breast
pocket. This l thought was pistol. 1
had caught CLEAN of the barrel in the
starlight, and when had time to reflect
l knew l could not be mistaken.
About this time l began to think some-
what seriously. From what l had heard
and seen l 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. II re.
sisted he would shoot me, and perhaps
he meant to perform that delectable
operation at any rate. While 1 was pom
dering the horses plunged into another
snow drift, and was again forced to get
out and tread down the snow before
them. 1 asked my passenger if he
wouldn't help me, but he didn't feel very
well, and wouldn't try; so I worked all
alone, and was all of a quarter of an hour
getting my team through the drifts.
When l got into the sleigh again, te.
gan to feel for the mailbag with my
feet. / found it where had leftit, but
when 1 attempted to withdraw my foot l
discovered it had become fast in some
thing-I thought it was the buffalo, aud
tried to kick it clear; but the more /
kicked the more closely it held. l
reached down my hand, and after feel
ing about few moments. found that
my foot was in the mailbag. / felt
again, and found my hand in among the
packages of letters and papers. / ran
my fingers over the edge of the opening
and became assured that the stout leather
had been cut with knife.
Here was discovery. l began to
wish I had taken o little more fore
thought before leaving Danbury; but
as knew making such wishes was only
waste Of time, l quickly gave it up,
and began to consider what l had better
do under existing circumstance. l
wasn't long in making up my mind upon
few essential points. First, the man
behind me was villain; second, he had
cut open the mailbag 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,
fourthly, he was prepared to shoot me il
/ attempted to arrest or detain him.
1 Irevolved these things in my mind,
and pretty soon thought of course to
pursue. knew that to get my hands
safely upon the rascal 1 must take him
wholly unawares, and this could not
do while be was behind me, for his eyes
were upon me all the time, so must re-
sort to stratagem. Only little distance
ahead was house, and an old farmer
named Longee lived there; and directly
before il a huge snowbank stretched
across the road, through which a track
had been cleared with shovels.
As we approached the cot l saw light
in the front room, as / felt confident /
should, for the old man generally sat up
until the stage went by. / drove up,
and when nearly opposite the dwelling,
stood up, as ! had frequently done when
approaching difficult places. saw the
snow-bsnk ahead, and could distinguish
the deep cut which had been
shoveled through it. / urged my
horses to good speed, and when near
the runners mounted the edge of the
bank, after which the other ran into the
cut, thus throwing the sleigh over
about as quick as though lightning had
struck it. My passenger had not calcu-
lated on any sdch movement, and wasn't
prepared.
He rolled out into the deep snow with
a heavy buffalo robe about him, while l
alighted directly on the top OF him. 1
punched his head in the snow and called
out for old Longee. 1 did not have to
call second time, for the farmer had
come to the window to see me pass, and
as soon as he saw my sleigh overturned
he had lighted his lantern and hurried
out.
Whats to pay?" asked the old man, as
he came up.
UT,aad tho horsas into the track and