Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1886-10-06

was very close to me. AS the hind
wheels came up I felt something be-
sides the jerk of the hole. heard
something roll or tumble from one
side to the other of my wagon, and l
could also feel the jar occasioned by
the movement. 1t was simply g. man
in nv cart! I knew this on the in
slant. You may have noticed my
cart as I came up this evening. The
main part of it opens behind, and
there is room enough within for quite
6, party, providing they'd stow them
selves close enough. Of course | felt
puzzled. At last wondered if some
poor fellow had not taken this method
to obtain a ride. But | soon gave
this up, for l knew that any decent
man would have asked me for a ride
and taken it comfortably. My next
idea was that somebody had got in
there to sleep. But this passed away
as quickly as it came, for no man
would have broken into my cart for
that purpose. And that thought.
gentlemen, opened my eyes. Whoever
was in there had broken in.
"My next thoughts were OF Dick
Hardhead. He had heard me say
that my load was all sold out, and OF
course he supposed that I had some
money with me. And in this he was
right, for had over $4,000. / also
thought that he meant to leave the
cart when he supposed had reached
a safe place, and then either creep over
and shoot me or knock me down, or
perhaps slip out and ask for ride, or
something of that sort. All this
passed through my mind by the time [
had got rod from the hole.
"Now, never make it a point to
brag of myself, but yet have seen a
great deal of the world, and ] am pref
ty cool and clear-headed under difficult
ty. In very few moments my reso-
luton was formed. My horse was
now knee deep in the mud, and knew
| could slip off without any noise. So
l drew my revolver never travel in
that country without tit is q six
barreled one and sure fire. I drew
this, and having twined the reins
about the whipstock, [ carefully
slipped down into the mud, and as the
cart passed on [ went behind it and
examined the hasp. The door of the
cart let's down, and is fastened by q
hasp which slips over a staple, and is
then. secured by a paddock. The
paddock was gone, and the hasp
was secured in it's place by g.
bit of pine stick, SO that slight
push from within could break it. My
wheel-wrench hung in leather bucket
on the side of the cart, and | quickly
took it out and slipped it into the
staple, the iron handle just sliding
down.
"Now had him. My cart was al
most new, with q stout frame of white
oak, and made on purpose for hard
usage, heavy loads and service. l did
not believe that any ordinary man
could break out. [ got OF to my cart
as noiselessly as | got off, and then
urged my horse on, still keeping my
pistol handy. [ knew that at the
distance of half milefurther should
come to good hard road, and | al
lowed my horse to pick his own way
through this mud. 1t was about ten
minutes after this that I heard 8 mo-
tion in the cart, followed by grinding
noise, as though some heavy force
were being applied to the door. This
continued some moments, and then
came 81 heavy thump, ss though the
sole of q boot were applied to the
door. I said nothing, but the idea
struck me that the villain might try
to Judge about where | sat, and shoot
up through the top of the cart at me,
so I sat down on the footboard.
"Of course [ knew now that my un-
expected passenger was a villain, for
he must have been awake ever since [
started, and nothing else in the world
but absolute villalny would have
caused him to remain quiet so long
and then start up in this particular
place. The humping and pushing
grew louder and louder, and pretty
soon | heard human voice.
"'Let me out of this!' he cried, and
he yelled pretty loud.
him think that [ was sitting in my
usual place, and then asked him what
he was doing in there.
"sLet me out and I'll tell ye,' he re-
piled.
"'Tell me what you're in there for
I said.
81 got IN here to sleep on your
rags he answered.
"'How'd We git in?' I asked.
"Let me out, or I'll shoot ye
through the head he yelled.
"Just at that moment my horses
feet struck the hard road, and [ knew
that the rest of the route to Jackson
would be good going. The distance
was twelve miles. I slipped back up
on the foot-board and took the whip.
had the same horse then I've got
now; tall, stout, powerful bay mare,
and you may believe there's some go
in her. At any rate, she struck gait
that even astonished me. Shehstd had
good mess of oats, the night air was
cool, and she felt like going. In fifteen
minutes we cleared the woods, and
away we went at q great pace. The
chap inside kept yelling to be
let out, and threatening to
shoot if I didn't let him out.
Finally, he stopped, and in few mo-
ments came the reports of a pistol,