Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1891-01-17


danger than the most impenetrahle !
darkness could have been.
For u little way the road wound |
through fields, and this portion of |
my route | trayersed with a stout |
heart. But Just ahead lay the woods, |
long stretch of unkroken forest. |
and | approached them with a dread |
and premonition such as, think,
had never before or have ever since
known. | plunged into them, how
ever without halting or hesitation
knowing they must be passed but
instead OF peering about for dangers
turned to the ribbon OF starlit sky
above the tops of the tall trees that
bordered the road. When reached
the part where the footpath started
in at the left, | stopped for amoment,
| debating whether | should take the
short cut or follow on around by the
highway. / quickly decided upon
the latter course. The shorter dis,
| lance of the narrow path, winding
under interlacing tree tops, down
steep emhankments, through intense
| darkness, was no Offset o the broad
err, lighter and less terrifying, il long
err, route by the public road.
So | started on making good time
on the descending grade, stumbling
occasionally over The water bars,
eongratulatiag myself on the dis
lance already safely passed, looking
forward to the welcome | should re-
Geive at the postottice and mt home.
Suddenly | became aware that two
men were walking with me, one on
each side of me. They had come mp
so noiselessly that / mad not heard
the sound oftheir approach. "Good
EVENING" my young friend" said the
one on theright; what's that you're
a-carrying?"
Its the mail bag" said !, stop
ping and standing still in surprise
and lear.
lis that so?" he exclaimed, I've
often wanted to lit "A mail bag. Is
it very heavy"
Not very" l replied, actually
handing it to him in my bewildcr-
ment.
He took it, held it up by the end
strap as high as his head, and shook
it gently as if 70 make test OF it's CON
tents.
II relieve there's letter in there
for me, Bill, he said to his compan-
: ion, ''and il there is it's necessary
that should have it at once. De-
lays are dangerous.
THE only way to find out for GER
tain" replied the other man, gruftly,
5 lis to open the bag"
: "True," responded the first speak
er. "but we must not open it on the
public highway; some evil minded
passer-hy might seek to appropriate
g the contents thereof, which would be
s q crime against the government, i'll
y deed an objectionable offense. Sup
d pose we retire to some secluded wood
;, land dell, and there study the situa.
ton. Young man." he added, ad
u dressing me, you are cordially in
e vited to accompany US.
l. "I-Td rather not CO." replied
70 beginning for the first time to fully
10 realize my position. ''Ii it's all the
W same TO you," / added, I'll go or
IS home"
n well, my dear young friend and
le fellow-worker," began the man, but
o his gruffvoiced companion interrupt
le ed him: "Oh, let up on that, Andy
le We amt got any time to lose. Com,
along, young fellerV'
81 And before | had time to protes
e / was seized by one arm, hurried t.
n the roadside, across the ditcl
E. and in among the trees. believ
Il / began to cry and beg; it woult
t have been strange if had not don
SO; but, in language more forcefu
s. than elegant, was ordered to hole
le my peace. In the meantime tn
1t first Fobber was threading his way
re- carefully through the thin underbrusI
ut among the hemlocks, in thick dark
C. ness, and we following him. /
w seemed to me very long time tina
no we journeyed thus. In reality /
n must have been only few minutes
I'd When we stopped, the leader said:
es "Here's a kind of an open place
er let's hold up here. Bill, where's tina
ST GAMBLER"
he Presently heard the swapping {
he a match and saw Billlighting piec
70 of q candle from which he had ur
ts rolled a bit of newspaper. Lookin,
Id around me, by the light of this car
IS. die, was not slow to recognize tn
1 place. We were in the path OF whic
81, have spoken on n little platea
On Just above the brook. Indeed, th
be soft ripple Of waters could be hear
at no great distance from US.
he now, tor the first time, recognize
gin the two men as those whom ha
he seen step from the stage.coach n
the crossing, and knew instinctivel
>, that they had followed me for I'll
0u purpose of robbing the mail. TIL
one addressed ~ Andy had alread
to laid the mail pouch fiat on I'll
"; ground, and with an open jack-kni
nd poised in one hand, was passing til
he thumb and forefinger of the otht
mt hand carefully along the leath'
If a,,rFa 40 ~ ~ oouaidariutr tho frous