Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-05-16

to distinguish objects dim1y at a hundred
yards, and there were III least five horsemen
in our rear tearing along at the top of their
animals speed. Knowing that they were
within rifle shot, | opened fire on them over
the seat. l worked the lever of my gun as
rapidly as | could, but made awkward bust
ness of it. Presently l got a shell stuck and
began trying to get it out. In the meantime
our pursuers We're gaining with every second.
They We're within fifty yards before I could
get out my shell, and l was too excited to
think of using another gun. Suddenly the
light in the hack went out and a hand upon
my shoulder jerked me backward. Then
voice yelled in my ear:
LET me get at them! Load the guns for
me m let the team go. We might s well
smash as be riddled with bullets. Here
here's two boxes of cartridges"
dropped back to the other seat and gave
place to him. He threw his carbines over the
back of the hind seat and began firing
1t seemed to me that steady stream of
fire poured out of the back of the stage, and
before l had filled the magazine of my gun
his was empty. He snatched mine, however,
and thrust his own back to me.
Loading was awkward business at first as
had to feel for the feeder; but l managed
soon to thrust them into my gun as fast as he
could work the lever of his own. The men,
whoever and whatever they were, rode up to
within twenty-five or thirty yards, and,
spreading out, opened fire on us.
keep close down in the bottom!" shouted
my comrade as he kept on with his firing.
The troad agents. did not come nearer, evil
IDENTIFY fearing too great exposure to the
stream of shots from the hack, and my conr-
10 tbo Of,
companions. Icaught glimpses, as I glanced
up now and then, of plunging horseman,
with shadowy, outstretched arm, from which
flashed blaze after blaze of light.
All at once we began descending into a
gully, and the hack bounced from side to side
SO violently that it was impossible for US to
do anything but cling to the sides of the box
s'It's all right" rang my companions voice
in my ear, shortly after we had begun the
descent; They've quit. They can't ride
along the side of the gulch and daren't follow
straight behind There's a stage ranch be-
low, too. remember the road"
Sure enough the men had dropped back and
the shots had ceased. My cool, brave COM
rade now clambered over me, and in some
way got into the front seat of the jumping
coach. A moment later I noticed that we
were slowing up and running more steadily
Five minutes more and we halted-what was
left of us-safe and sound in front of a stage
station.
Our story was soon told, our horses ex-
changed, and fresh driver, doubly armed,
put with U.S.. Such little accidents did not
stop stages in those parts
There was no danger, they told us, from
that same gang. The three men who were
left promised to go Immediately and look af-
ter our other driver.
1t was only the darkness and the motion of
the vehicle and horses that had saved us from
being hit. We found several bullet marks
about the coach next morning. One of them,
well aimed, had gone through the back seat
at an angle and into the front, and might
have passed directly between us. My respect
for my young comrade was greatly raised by
the event of that night, and was further in
creased by an after acquaintance which dis
covered bis real modesty and worth.
On my return to the 'Hillsn I learned that
our driver had been picked up at the crossing
of the creek badly wounded, and also that the
brave fellow had yelled to the team to go the
very second he was hit. He had been carried
to Sidney. AS to the rheumatic old man, he
was, of course, rascal in league with the
band who attacked us.-Youth's Companion.