Woodville Republican. (Woodville, Miss.) 185?-current, 1889-06-22


ing. But this bag Of gold was much
more difficult to conceal.
"How large is the baga" asked
Thompson drew it out OF his pocket l
could hold it easily in my palm, but it
was SO heavy / nearly dropped it
well, l will try to hide it for you,"
/ said. / put it in my travelling bag,
and when wo stopped for dinner / went
TO room in the hotel and transferred
the precious bag to pocket in the
lining OF my dress. which recollected
my far-sighted grandmother had put
there.
1t was about 8 o'clock in the after
noon when, after steady climb of
some miles up the steep ridge OF mount
aims that divided the park horizontally,
we entered Black Forest 1t was a
stretch of twenty-five miles through this
wilderness, for we ran due west along
the ridge OF the mountain range till we
came opposite the center OF the southern
portion of the park. when the road de-
scended and wound about for fifty miles
through the undulating plain, itself
broken by mountains and hills OF lesser
sizes in every direction.
confess that it was not without
some fear that saw the stage plunge
into the wilderness. To add to our dis
com6ture heavy rain began to fall,
and we had not proceeded half hours
journey before it became so dark we
could not see fifty feet ahead OF U.S.
REvoLvERs Cooked.
The driver leaned back in his seat,
with eyes and ears alert, and let the
reins all loose, for the horses knew their
way better than he could guide them
in that darkness.
We went on in almost unbroken 81
lence for over an hour, and then | mo-
ticed that the men had their revolvers
out Henderson sat at one window and
Thompson at the other AS we came
to the foot of Horrs Hill they raised
the weapons to the window sill and
rested them upon it with their barrels
pointing into the heavy darkness with
out.
Another hour passed YEARLY by. We
had reached the summit of the hill and
were we'll along its ridge. Indeed, the
men had begun to breathe more freely,
for we were scarcely mile from the
first clearing, when there was a sud
den noise, something that sounded like
a shout and loud cracking in the
bushes.
The coach gave tremendous lunge
and the horses tore like mad through
the woods. On, on they flew as if pos
sessed of supernatural power. The
men chung to their revolvers, with pale
faces and bated breath. A moment
more and they sprang out into the
clearing, and we knew we were safe, for
over the hill top we could see the ranch
mems houses. The driver got down
and caressed his horses as they stood
there trembling from head to foot. The
passengers stepped out and looked
about and came to the conclusion that
our scare must have been over a grizzly
bear rather than robbers, else wo
should not have escaped so easily.
The stage then began its descent, and
just before the twilight settled into the
darkness of night the coach rolled up
at the ranch, where we stopped for the
night
| This stage carried the mails, and its
coming was the occasion OF the gather
ing of cowboys from all parts of the
park and mountains thereabout. There
were full fifty of them there that night,
and before 10 o'clock they were nearly
all drunk. There was but one other
woman on the place the ranchman' s
wife. Her bed was in the dining room,
and was to sleep with her, for there
were no private apartments in this
cabin.
When we went to bed laid off my
dress, but took the precious bag of gold
under my pillow. and committed my
self in prayer to the great and tender
Father who protects His children. ]
asked especially in prayer that NIGH
that l might be enabled to preserve un
touched the money committed to my
care. The lights were burning in the
dining-room all night, and once some
one came in but went out again.
SCARED AND SPARED.
1t was we'll in the night when l wa
awakened by hearing voices. l looked
up over my head in the direction OF thu
sound. The bed was close to the cabin
wall, and just above my pillow the nut
chinks had fallen out from between tn,
: logs. Nearly opposite this hole tw,
men were standing, and l could hea
what they were saying.
Curse it! We've got nothing from
the other fellows suppose we try her.
} Il don't believe she's got any thing
and il she should raise rumpus wet
have big fight before morning"
where's she sleepin'?"
} 'In this room here with Saunder'
i wife, They walked over to the win
/ dow then; l heard their voices few
: moments longer, and then their foot
steps died away. was fully aware o
: the gravity Of my position, but l wa
S powerless to help myself Henderson,
3 and his party we're no match for half
t hundred lawless, intoxicated men, arm
t ed with murderous weapons, and
: knew could not hope for protectio
I from them. knew of nothing bette
a to do than to keep still. Once more
prayed earnestly, and with one han
grasping the precious bag ! laid still
until morning When daylight dawne