The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1882-04-22
THE MAIL RoBBER.

bury to Littleton, distance of forty
two miles, and as had to await the ar
rival of two or three coaches, did not
start until after dinner and very often
had good distance to drive after dark.
II was in the dead of winter, and the
season had been rough one. A great
deal of snow had fallen, and the drifts
were plenty and deep. The mail that
] carried was not due in Littleton by
-eentraot until l o'clock in the morning,
but that winter the postmaster was often
obliged to sit up little later than that
hour for me.
One day in January when drove up
with my mail at Danbury the postmaster
called me into his office.
ssPete," 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 were going through to
Littleton. l told him that did not
know,
''But suppose I have not?" said I.
ssWhy, said he, ''the agent of the
lower route came in to-day, and he said
that there were two suspicious characters
on the tstage that came in last night, and
he SUSPECTS that they have an eye to this
mail; 50 it will stand you in hand to be
a little careful this evening"
He said the agent had described enc
of them as short, thick set fellow about
fort years of age, with long hair, and q
thie, heavy clnmp of beard under his
Gliih but none on the side of his face.
He did not know about the other.
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"
1 answered that I should do so, and
then took the bag under my, arm and left
the Office. / slowed the mail away
under my seat little more carefully
than usual, placing it so / could keep
my feet against it, but beyond that / did
not feel any concern. It was past one
when we started and / had four pas
sengers, two of whom rode only to my
first stopping place. I had reached
Gowan's Mills at dark, when we stopped
for sapper, and where my other two
passengers, concluded to stop for the
night.
About six o'clock in the evening left
Gowan's Mills alone, having two horses
and q pung.
J 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 restive. At the distance of
six miles I came to little settlement
called Bulls Corner; where took fresh
horses. I'd beef two hours going that
distance.
AS was going to start man came up
and asked If was going through to Lit
tleton. I told him I should go through
If the thing could possibly be done. He
said he was anxious to go, and as he had
no baggage told him to Jump in and
make himself as comfortable as possible.
was gathering up my lines when the
hostler came up and asked me if knew
that one of the animals had got deep
cork cut on the off foot. / gave such
directions IS / considered necessary, and
was about to turn away when the hostler
remarked that he thought / came alone
/ told him I did.
Then where did you get that passen-
ger?s he inquired.
He just got in" aswered.
"Got in from where?"
81 don't know"
-stWell, now, said the hostler, sthat's
kind of curious. There amt been no
such man at the house, and know there
amt been none at any of the neighbors. !"
Lets have look at his face" said I.
We can get that much, at any rate Do
you go back with me, and when I 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 muffied up. / saw a short, thick
frame, full, hard features, and could
almost see that there was 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 7 had
gone half mile when noticed the mail
bag wasn't in its place under my feet.
sHellol' says /, holding up my horses
little. where's my mail?"
Ny passenger sat on seat behind me,
and turned toward him.
here lS u Dh& u eOul6 kluu buuG SlfD-
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 / thought was pistol. ]
had caught CLEAN Of the barrel in the
starlight, and when had time to reflect
4 knew could not be mistaken.
About this time began to think some
what 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. If re.
sisted he would shoot me, and perhaps
he meant to perform that delectable
operation at any rate. While was pom
dering the horses plunged into another
snow drift, and / was again forced to get
out and tread down the snow before
them. asked my passenger if he
wouIdn't help me, but he didn't feel very
we'll, and wouldn't try; SO worked all