The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1890-03-27

ne hfll theA WIG oun heha ne HfHPed
! rib OF tho hack With The olhef Then b
leaned GU, aud sIsuecd back,
. Lucky tie horses, whieh we're going a
sgsllop they we're animals wbleh oeede'
no urging kept to The road, and the cool
headed young fellow was not pitched ont
There's lot Of 'em, he shouted 10 a
me moment later. eau Iast soc tonr o
I've getting on totheir horses They've
killed the driver, guess. and are after u
now
With that he gathered up the long.lash
ed whip which lay 10 the boot, aud, drop
ping upon bis kaees. began yelling aud
laying the whip upon the team.
In a moment We we're going at ieariuI
pace. and despite the excitement aud
fright Of the moment, noticed that our
four horses came TO hand aud ran With y
steady. even gait. which did credit TO the
young mans driving,
Get ready for 'em uowl be screamed back
at me. they II be down on US in a minute,
Open the back dap n pour IL into EN-
with your guns, and when they re empty
get mine under the seat
He was captain as well as driver, and |
obeyed instictively, for ! certainly had
planned no form OF defence or action.
l managed to unbutton and roll up the
leather behind. aud peerlng out, on my
knees before the back seat saw that we
were indeed followed. Ii Was light enough
to distinguish objects dimly at 100 yards,
aud there were at least tye horselaen 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. worked the lever Of my gun as
rapidly as | could. but made awkward
business of it Presently ! got a shell
stuck, and began trying TO get 1t out. In
the meantime our pursueta were gaining
with every econd.
They were within fifty yards before |
could get ont my she'll and | was too ex
cited to think OF using another gun. Sud'
Aeuly the light n the hack vent out, and
a band upon my shoulder j,rked me back.
ward. Then voice yelled in my ear,
Let me get at the tbeml Load the
guns for me % let the team go. We might
as well smash as be riddled with bul
lets. Here here's two boxes of cartrid
ges.
| dropped back to the other seat and
gave place to him He threw bis carbne
over the back Of the hine seat aud began
fireing Crack! crack crack II seemed
to me that steady stream Of fire poured |
out OF the back Of the stage, aud before !
had filed the magazine Of my gun his gun
was empty He snaiched mine, however,
aud thrust bis own back to me.
Loading was awkward business at first,
As bad to feel FOR the feeder; but man
,ged soon to thrust them into my gun as
last as be could work the lever of his own.
The men. whoever and whatever they |
we're, rode up to within twenty five or
,hirty yards, and, spreading out, opened
ire on as
Keep close down in the bottoml shout
ID my comrade as be kept on with bis fiji
ng.
The road pgents" did not come nearer,
fearing too great exposure to the
tream OF shots from the hack, and my
courage rose to something near the level OF
ny companions. caught glimpses, as !
glanced up now aud then, Of plnnging
with shadowy, outstretcbed
rm, from which flashed blaze after blazs
# light
All at once we began descending into
,ully, aud The hack bounced from side TO
ide SO violently that it was impossible for
Is to do anything but cling to the sides OF
he box.
It's all right raug my companions
oice in my ear, shortly after we began the
escent; they've quit. They cant ride
long the side Of the gulch, and daren't
pillow straight behind. There's a stage
anch below, too. l remember the road.
Sure enough, the men had dropped
ack, and the shots had ceased. My cool,
rave comrade now clambered over me.
I'd in some way got into the front seat Of
he jumping coach, moment later ]
oticed that we were slowing up aud run
ing more steadily. Five minutes more
I'D we halted what was loft Of us, safe q
al sound IN front Of the stage station.
Our story was soon told, our horses ex >
hanged. aud fresh driver. boubly arm
d, Pot with us. Such little accidents did
OF stop stages 10 those parts.
There was no danger, they told us, from
be same gang, The three men who were
IT promised TO go Immediately and look u
Iter our other driver,
1t was only the darkness and the motion =
the vehicle and horses that had saved
! from being hit We found several bnl.
i marks about The coach mex, morning.
ne OF them well aimed, had gone
rough the back seat at an angle aud in
the front, ana might have passed dir v
;tly between ~. My respect for my /"
,ung comrale vas greatly raised by the 2
'ents Of that night, aud was further 10 >
essed by an after acquaintance which II
scoyered bis real modesty and worth. a.
On NY return TO the Hills" learned y
.ii our driver bad been picked up at the a.
"ssiog ol the creek badly wounded. aud r
70 that the brave feIlos had yelled TO
. team to 80 the very second he was bit. .,
g bal been carried 10 Sidney. A. 70 the
eumalio old man. he wss. Of course.
scd ia league Rith ibe band who sltaek !
us
F4fm How much b. them pants. -