The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1883-08-29

right. In seven or eight minutes from
the time we went over, 80 quickly did it
all happen, was in my seat again ready
to start.
My assailants, or assistants, which even
they were, made no opposition, and
seemed only anxious to get rid OF me;
they dispatched me without n word, and
| was u mile on my road before ! fully
realized what had happened. As is al
ways the case in an accident, | could
only recall what took place Immediately
before and immediately after, and for
that very reason the words uttered by
the men were more wildly impressed on
my memory. What did they mean?
1t flashed into my mind like revela-
ton. They had been misled by the
shape Of my trap; which, as ! have said,
was square behind, and looked like II
mail cart, while the darkness was too
great in their place Of ambuscadc for
them to see the color. The time Of my
arrival was about that Of the mail, had
not Jack Ployer been obliged to turn
back; and the careful pace ut which |
had come down the hill accorded very
well with the steady movements Of
Jacks nag.
And the voice? ! had heard it some
where latcly-thc man in the Angel bar,
who asked, too, the time when the mail
left. There was no doubt of the mems
purpose.
How to prevent il? How to warn
jack in time? There was no road back
but the one by which had come, unless
| made dctour Of several miles. Neither
was there n house near whence to get
assistance. pulled up and thought it
out. A bruise on my right arm sug'
gested something. / had fallen on my
left side, and this nruise was caused by
the saddle tumblmg after me. made
mp my mind at once.
Turning in through the first gate |
came TO, drove over the turf to a corner
of the field where was q group of trees.
| Here took the mare out ; put the trap
under the clms and turned the cushions;
took of all the harness bat the bride
and saddlcd her. luckily the bride had
no blinkcrs. | wound the long rcins
round and round my arms, mounted.
and, thanking Providence for my knowl.
edge of the country, rode at the nearest
fence. There was fli:t moonlight to
help us, but it was terribly dark. My
| heart was in my mouth as we went Mt the
fence, which was big outstanding one,
| but ! knew there was no ditch on the
tuking.oif side, and | gave the little
mare the word at the right moment.
| She jumped clean from under me. aud
landed me on the crnpprr. ] never shall
forget that leap! If there had been any
one to see IT | could have sold her almost
for her weight in gold.
We were halfway across the next field
before ! had rcgained my seat properly,
and then the mad exhilaration of the
thing took possession Of both of us.
There was a flight of hurdles next which
We took in our stride. Then bank and
u close-croppcd hedge that stood up,
black MS Ercbus, against the gray of the
night; which We Jumped M though IT
were twice its height. Then n flock Of
frightened sheep went scurrying away
into the darkness.
II was all turf, and, for the first time,
| blessed the poverty of the land, that
made it worthless to pillow. A dozen
fences negotiated in the same mad
fashion brought us into field that
sliirtcd the high road; and here we were
pounded. There was u big bull-iinch
into The road. with deep drop. To g
ON, parallel with the road, was impos
sihlc, for there was Il madc.up bank with
a cropped hedge, full Of stakes and II
deep drain, as knew, ran on either side
| rode up and down by the bull-fincl
in despair. Was all my trouble to be il
vain?
At last I made up my mind, and rode
not too fast, Mt the great, towering
struggling hedge. Iput my arm across
my face, shut my eyes, into il we went,
and ont Of it, with scramble, and a
founder, we came-scparately. The
bull-inch nearly brushed me ont of the
saddle, and the mare and | dropped side
hv side into the road, but both of us
were on our legs Before / had time to
remount | heard the sound of approach
ing wheels, and a man whistling mer-
rily.
'Pull M. Jack? ?" | called out.
Jacks whistle ceased, and more as
tonishcd comtcnance ] never bchcld
than the one which looked down from
the mail cart.
"What the dickens -" he began.
Then explained.
"Wcll, he said at the end of it. with
out word of commentator for me.
"Thot is n good pony of yours. What
shall we do?"
"In tell YOU" / said, for my blood
was up with excitement of the night.
"Drive back toWorthington, get Rogers,
/. the constable, and pistol apiece, and
let them try again."
''Done with you," said Jack, turning
round. "You ride on ahead and fine
Rogers, and III wait for you by the ole
toll-bar."
III half an hour the constable and
were seated very uncomfortably on the
back of the mail cart and driving aloni
rs fast rs Jacks pony could be induced
to 60. Our only fear was lest the fellows
, should have got tired of waiting, for j
WIS quite I'LL HONt anu nun i"p,i '"'
the time when the mail should have
/, passed them. Down the hill we went,
, our hearts humping away with excite
ment. not to mention the difficulty OF
holding on, and Jack performing " My
! Pretty Jane" with exquisite variations.
Well, to cut my story short, we got
one of them. The constable. in his ca
gencss, jumped down directly the first
man had seized the horses head, and the
two other fellows made off. We got the
right gentleman, though; the identical
fellow who had been in the Angel bar,
and whose voice 1 had recognized. lie
was tried at the Assizes, and two other
convictions being proved against him.
was sentenced to seven years penal servi-
tude.
went out with the hounds on Sat!ir-
day, and my little mare was the heroine
Of the hour. The Squire himself came
up to me, and, after compli.mIen'mg us
10th on orr achievement, said: