The National tribune., 1892-08-11

But you are poor, and what you want and wha
your wife wants is money. This. then, Is you
opportunity. Deliver this box safely and you
fortune is made. As an earnest, accept thi
order
:" took the paper-an order for 500. to b.
paid by Mr.. Marshall upon the safe delivery o
the box-and having perused the contents
thrust it into my pocket. On many occasions
] had received little presents, and even small
sums of money, for the faithful discharge o
my duty, but never before anything Of like
value: and 1 resolved that, whatever NIGH
ensue would make sure of SO large reward
For many months / had looked forward
longingly to the time when / should be the
owner in fee of the 20 acres of land l Guilt
waited. On the spot whore the old log cabin
stood / had pictured in my fancy pretty
white wooden cottage. like so many of the
country houses in New England. The posses.
| sion of so large sum of money, with tho little
/ had already saved from my earnings, would
| bring within my reach the object of my ambi-
| ton, and ! felt as left the house of Mr.. Col
| quit that the dream of my life was about to be
realized.
lon the way back to my place of business !
observed the slave who had brought me the
note from Mr.. Colquit, engaged in stealthy
conversation with white man behind the
| hedge in front of his residence.
My first impulse was to return and inform
! Mr. Colquit but as / seldom act without refiec-
| ton, hesitated What could say beyond the
mere fact that / had seen his slave and white
| man in onversation? That of itself was not
very grave offense, or a very unusual circum-
stance. 1t might be readily explained.
by that time, however. / was no longer
moved by the impulse which led to these re-
| Elections. i was afraid that if l repeated to
Mr.. Colquit what had seen, he might change
his mind. and thereby deprive me of the re-
ward he had promised.
"But had not the least intention of letting
him suffer in consequence. The loss OF the
box would deprive me Of the reward as effect
uslly as would its retention. The safe delivery
of the box was as necessary as its transmission
1.-The next morning ! took in three passen-
gers at the hotel, and fourth Just beyond the
limits or the village The last was villain
ous-loOking fellow and something IN his ap-
pearance reminded me of the man L had seen
the evening before in conversation with the
slave of Mr.. Coleuit. i could not be certain
that he was the same having had bnt glimpse
of that man. but the resemblance aroused my
suspicion and occasioned me some anxiety as L
parted with two of my passengers
I THE first of these left me few minutes
later at a point where the road divided, and
the second at gate in front of his residence.
The latter was a planter, who resided away
from the main road, but within hailing dis
tance He had trunk and some smaller bag
gage, which L was obliged TO carry to the gate
or wait the coming of slave whom he had
summoned.
when the planter left the coach the other
passengers descended to the roadside to stretch
their limbs as one of them remarked. While
i removed the baggage, they walked about with
long strides and swinging arms, sometimes on
one side of the coach and sometimes on tho
other, but never in the same direction.
There nothing in the movements OF
l,ar. TO IA m M
/ congratulated myself on the fact that the one
of better address and appearance was going
with me to the Potomac. In case Of danger
from the other, he might be of assistance.
For a short distance beyond the residence
of the planter the road was as smooth and
level as though it had been macadamized.
But half a mile farther along it was rough
and full of ruts. and just where it was the
worst there was a long stretch of woods on
both sides of the road and not house visible
in any direction.
"Over the smooth portions of the road /
glided along swiftly, but slower and with
caution when / reached the ruts and rough
places. Yet with all my care j had not pro-
ceeded many lengths of the coach beyond the
level ground when of the wheels became
detached. and let the axle to the ground with
such force that it was broken and rendered
useless.
An examination of the broken axle re-
vealed the fact that Inch pin had been drawn
and the wheel left ungnarded. 1t Is needless
to say that I was Mortified, aud not so much at
the damage as at the discovery. / was no
longer in doubt as to the character and pur-
pose of my passengers-they were companions
and bent upon my destruction.
ga A sad mishap?' said the better dressed
passenger.
- / have had worse replied. 1T is only
a short distance to my house. and if you
put up with my slender hospitality you are
welcome until have procured assistance
80 Would it not be better he suggested, for
You to ride back to the house of the planter and
obtain the use of his carrage?'
80 Not al all, replied. Over such roads any
ordinary carriage would quickly go to pieces
We'll said the wayside passenger. grufily,
/ don't like your proposition. i prefer 10 re-
main with my traps
az We shall never get on by staying here
remarked.
lit is not proposed that you shall stay
replied the iil-favored passenger.
40 No. but l never desert my passen gers /
replied:
dressing his companion. that we had better
follow the suggestion of our transporter. He
evidently knows what is best under the cir
cumstances.'
"To each passenger / gave a horse and
loaded him with his own luggage i then
turned to the box of Mr.. Colquit.
a. Better let me take that box said the
potter passenger. 1t must be heavy"
"a 1t might be heavier replied, swinging
it to my shoulder as lift were feather.
To avoid further importantly i requested
them TO advance under my direction. AS they
could not reasonably object, they reluctantly
consented.
My cottage, though small, was divided into
two rooms-a kitchen and parlor. Into the
latter ushered my passengers
Constrained to leave the tin box in charge
of my wife, opened trap-door in the floor of
the kitchen, and descending a ladder, concealed
it in a cellar underneath.
The night before / had told my wife of the
box and its contents. and of the reward / was
TO receive for its transmission. now informed
her, much to her surprise, that regarded my
passengers as a brace of highway robbers.
I'm the next adventure my wife played a
prominent part, and, sir, if you will allow her
recount her own exploits, you will lose nothing
by change of narrators."
Z" l assure you, sir. that am less gifted than
my husband as a story teller," began the wife
a. yet he prefers, whenever this story is told,
that shall relate what Immediately followed
his departure. He insists that, as was person
ally concerned, i can recount the facts to better
advantage. / possibly can with greater par
but that. instead of merit, is some
times detriment
"My husband. when he has anything to do,
does it with his might. He left the cottage on
that day at brisk trot, which soon carried
him beyond the vision of those who remained.
.l.a Ia 10 Al