Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-07-12
A TERRIBLE RIDE,
ny WILLIAM VI. GRAYnoN.

Now then, Dave, reckon that's
about all. Don't fcrgit the tcrbacker, an
don't fail ter inquire if lhars any letters
fur Ahram Bartlett" and glarinu at Dave
over his great horn spcctaclcs, Mr.. Bart
lett leaned over the counter and slowly
repeated the last clause
"NcS. sir, answered Dave, STRUGGLING
hard to keep back u smile. for Mr.. Bart,
let's anxiety about letters was Il standin,,
joke at Dagon's Gross Roads. us he WAS
never known to haze received one vet.
And where are you exprctin Il letter
FROM MIR. Bartlctt!" Dave asked.
The storckccrcrs brow wrinklcd and
he hcSitated between anger and amaze.
incnt d! such au'iacity Before he could
reply the door opened and Squire Dayon
came in.
Going to wy~anking, Dave he
asked abruptly.
'Ycs, sir"
Nov see here, my boy" went on the
squire, pulling out 4 bulky looking pocket
book, al think can trust YOU. and |
want yon 10 attend 10 a little business
Tor me. ought to go 10 Wysankipo
myself to-day, but find it impossible. In
this pockci-bUoi is the money to DAY the
tosSers over III Powell's Valley. There
arc three hundred dollars in currency
therc, and want You 10 rive il to Ned
uarkInN, the boss. lie must have it to-
day so he can go up 10 Towanda and ret
it changed 10 pay the men OH ON Sn,nr.
DAY. You will find him ut the postollicc
fon have an inside pocket there. Put il
IN that, and button your jacket tightly.
l guess there is no risk" and the squire
looked uneasy for minute. "Of course
NOT he added with laugh. "Nobodv
knows yon have it, Better 90 now M
time to waste if you want to get back to-.
night and with his own hands the
squire put the money in Dawes pockct
and buttoned up the ragged Jacket.
III deliver the money all right, Mr..
Dagon," he said rcsoutey, rs he started
toward the door.
Now, Dave" called out Mr.. Bartlett
''don't fcrgit ter TX the postmaster Il
there's any" but Dave was already ON,
of hearing
Dave Hunter is an honest lad" oh.
served the squire, lighting cigar. ..Thc
money Will he safe enough with him.
guess
Mr.. Bartlett took u pinch of snuff, and
dr"wled out slowly: "Waal, yes reckon
he is. But he's so;tin' impuden,, squire
declar' he's gettin' impudcnt''
The squire only laughed, and with :
cneary good morning." mounted hi,
horse and rode off to visit his lumbc,
camps.
Dave Tell as happy as lark MS Ii,
'rudSed off down the valley, pulling m
empty sled behind him. His father had
been killed by an accident several YEAR
before ut one of Squire Dagon's lumbc
camps, and ever since Dave had hce,
working hard to support his mother. II,
did odd bits of work for Mr.. Bartlett
VINO kept the rude store at Dason's Cros
hoaus, backwoods settlement five mile
from the river. Nearly every week IN
went to Wysanking across the Susouc
mamma, and brought back such supplie
ms the loggers purchased Of Mr.. Bartlett
But Dave was only sixteen, and with
out Squire DaSon's kindly hcln he woul,
have struggled in vain.
MY gracious'' he said half aloud !,
tie slapped his hands 10 his, breast, ..wbn
hcap OF money! If that was mine +,
buy mother a new dress an shawl nm
lots 10 eat, an I'd go to school Mt To
wanda, an have an overcoat, an brcccl
loader gun an" but Dawes air castle
suddenly vanished rs he looked I'm san,
saw where he was.
For beyond him ran the valley tn
oeaten iooipath through the snow grow
ns ui,nll'er ana DINNER till lost in tn
hazy distance. But above him. IN fl
steep mountain side crept zigzar road
ms led up to the summit. and tbcnc
i.ong the crest to lumber slide ovn,
looking the river.
Both the slide and the road had bcc
IN disusc for several years, but an ic
crust was on the snow, and Dave Lnn,
That by taking this course he could cav
good mile at least. He rcmembere
also that near the slide q gradual foo,
path led down to the river. Flo boo;tato
only an instant, and then started nm tb
mountain. ~ ~
lie rested while at the ton. and ,bo
went on along the ridge. On both s;dc
was the unbroken forest, and here nm
there great masses of stone piled I'M i
fantastic shapes. 1t was a wild. lionel
place, but Dave had not thouobt :
fear. He could hear the mountain 70,
rent brawling over it's rocky bed ava