The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1890-06-19


ing in the road, arolnd the bend Of
which one Of the men suddenly came on
foot
Aha he said, exultingly. ..rve
ketched We. hev /? Thought ye'd fool
us. eh? But we found yer boss in that
old cabin. and put our own up along
side of him while we looked We up.
Now, I'll take that air mailbag an any
vallybles We happen ter have bout ye,
an"
STOP
He had started toward her. when
Madge. dropping the mailbag behind
her. stood in front of it with a pistol
held out in either hand.
stop right where you are" she said.
These pistols are loaded. and l amt
bit afraid to use them. Don't you try
to shoot, or I'll get ahead of you. You
can't have this mailbag
The ruffian burst into loud laugh at
this "Ha, ha. ha.' he roared. "Ye
air plucky, amt We, little gal? l RELY
bleeve ye'd pepper me if l TUX step to-
ward ye Good fer We, anyhow! adj
mire yer grit. but / admire that mail
bag more right after pay day in Gran
iteville. l reckon, though, I'll have to
have help fore ! git it. Here, Bill-oh,
Bill.'
They stood in sharp curve i'll the
road A sound of hoofs was heard, and
! the man called out jeeringly: Come
on Bill, fore git riddled through an
through"
''Oh! I'm comm, an my names Bill,
| too, but l reckon l amt the Bill yer
yellin' fer. I've an idee this little gal
| IL be iist as glad ter see me as she would
ter see t'other Bill, amt We, sis?''
Madge turned to see the old whito
mule she had met on the other side Of
| the mountain. and sitting astride its
| bony back was the man who had spoken
SO kindly to her.
Good for yon, sissy he said. as no
saw her, pistol in hand. Pop away il
you want to, an Ill crar We for it 'fore
any joory in America. I'll help We hold
him level till Bill comes. You jist keep
yer barkers p'inted fair at him while
git him into proper shape"
Dismounting, he took some thick
cords from his baggage, and Will.
Mad,a still covered the scoundrel with
her pistols, the old man disarmed and
I bound him until he was utterly help
less.
| Now" he said, ''we'rc ready to ex-
tend the right hand Of fellowship to
Brother Bill, an-here he is
The cvil-looking fellow who had
1 questioned Madge on the mountain now
came hurrying around the curve.
Up with yer hands" cried the old
man-''up with EN- instanter, or we'll
both riddle you with hullcts.'
Dazed with amazement, the second
man was easily made prisoner, when
the old man said:
Gosh! amt glad did come back?
| tell We how it was, sissy: seen
these fellcrs behind them powders up
en- the mounting when rid over, an
got to thinkin' bout 'cm after you
passed me. an, thinks to me, they
want the honcstest lookin' men ever
see nohow, an they might do that little
gal with the mailbag harm. An SEEM
you, made me think bout my own little
gal back in Missoury. an how Id feel
If she was in your shoes, an KEEP on
thinkin' that way, till jist felt it my
plain jooty to go back an see We safe
within sight o the Cliff. When / got
up on the mounting an seen they'd
gone, an hadn't met 'cm comm down
tother side, l knowed thar was mis-
chief brewin, an put out as fast as
old Sol here would fetch me, an glad
am to git here as did"
A party Of miners with a burro train
on the way to Graniteville for ore came
along few minutes later. and two Of
them volunteered to assist Madge's
rescner in taking the hold-ups on to
Eagle Cliff, where they were properly
cared for in way that kept them from
doing any further harm.
The mail reached Eagle Cliff only q
little behind time, and Madge was tho
heroine of the day.
The doctor offered to go in person to
attend her father, and with him and tho
little old man as an escort she rode
home in safety and triumph, to hear her
father say:
Il knowed could trust We to git the
mail there, Madge. "--Zenas Dane, in
Golden Days.