Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-08-21

70 cover the elQnteen miles between
her and Eagle Cliff before noon, il
possible.
Get along, Bslly,' she said to her
horse. I'm not more'n half so heavy
as dad, and you must make better
time with me. Get along, sir!
Madge had been to the Cliff several
times and greatly enjoyed the pros
pect OF visit to the lively little town
now, her happiness being dimmed by
nothing but the thought OF her faith
er's illness, and he had spoken so
hopefully and cheerfully of his inn
mediate recovery when she rode away
that her fears had been greatly allsy-
ed. She had no fear for herself.
She rode almost to the summit of
the mountain without meeting a hu-
man being or seeing living creature
excepting the little snow-birds flying
out and in among the branches of the
trees and out across the snow.
Then she met a small. elderly man
coming down the trail on feeble look
ing old mule.
Her right hand was laid firmly on
the butt of one of her pistols, as he
reined up when they met.
How fur is it to the next cabinT he
asked.
about ten miles, replied Madge.
Where you bound fer2
Eagle Cliff
'AloneT
Yes; excepting for my horse and
these
The man laughed harshly, but his
voice was kindly enough as he said:
Gritty, amt ye, little gal2 Well, if
nobody meant you any more harm'n l
do you'd be safe without them little
pertectors at your belt. Igot little
gal O. my own, bout your age, back
in Missoury, an wouldn't harm you
any more'n would her. But | reck-
on it'd skeer her out of years growth
ter find herself alone up here on this
mounting. Goodbye an the Lord
bless ye.
His voice had a genuine ring that
assured Madge of his sincerity, and
she felt rather ashamed of the display
she had made of her weapons.
Goodbye, SIR she replied; 'and
I'm much obliged for your good wish
es.'
She had left the timber behind now,
and was allowing old Bally to take
his time In going up the steep and
snowy trail, bringing them nearer and
nearer to the summit of the mountain.
She jumped lightly down from his
back when near the summit and
walked by his side, but when the sum.
NIT was finally reached, she mounted
again and said:
Now, old fellow, I'll give you FIVE
or ten minutes to rest in, and then you
must take me flying down to the Cliff
in less than
Hello, Miss!'
Madge whirled quickly around in
her saddle. The mountain had on its
summit many massive powders, and
from behind one of these, close to the
roadside, two men had suddenly come.
Courageous as she was, Madge was
taken so wholly by surprise that her
face paled a little and her voice trem-
bled slightly as she said:
How do you do?'
'Ain't you lost? asked one of the
men, staring boldly at her from under
his bushy eyebrows.
No, I'm not, Madge replied in a
firmer voice.
'Ain't travelling around the country
alone, be your
I'm going to Eagle Cliff
'Ohl ye be- And where mought ye
hev come from?'
From No Mans Gulch, few miles
back here. l live there
'Oh, ye do, eh? Ye ain'tthe reg'lar
mail-carrier2'
NO
Madge felt her voice trembling
again at this proof that they had no.
ticed the mail bag.
my father is the mail carrier, but
he is sick to-day, and I'm carrying it
for him. must ride on, too, or I'll
not get back tonight. Goodbye
And she rode on, not noting the
significant looks of the men. But she
instinctively felt them to be enemies,
and breathed long breath of relief
as she rode around a curve in the trail
which hid her from their view.
The decent here was very abrubt,
and gallop Of two miles brought
Madge to a thick growth of timber.
Looking back as she entered it she
saw two men riding furiously down
the trail behind Ae-, and she felt con-
fident that they we're the men she had
met on the mountains summit.
They're after mel was Madge's i'm
mediate and correct conclusion. They
want the mailbag. They wouldn't
attack me up there on the summit for
fear Of being seen by some one going
up or coming down. They think it
will be an easier job to rob me in the
woods. Well, they shan't rob me no