The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1898-02-10


"Ill stay and read my letter." an
nounced McGinnis, quietly. to the sur
prise of everyone, for old Morton, the
trapper. had been a friend Of his in the
earlier days.
A moment later only the stranger and
Turner were left at the sleeping tent.
The searching party was well down the
valley and McGinnis had gone to the
cook tent. Presently he came back
with his hat and spectacles on.
"It's from my little grandtaughte ter"
he said to the stranger, as he opened the
letter "Would you mind readin' it to
me? My eyes was never much at hand
writin'.'
The man read it-a child's note of
only few labored lines, chiefly words
of love, but he read it unsteadily, for
the cook held lighted candle before
his face, and whenever he glanced up
from the page the old mans eyes were
intently fixed upon him.
"Ah, it's bad business-bad busi-
ness!" repeated the cook, as he put
away his candle. "Now at 1 know
what's in the letter, I think I'll go down
an help find out what it all means
all this blood, here"
Turner grew uneasy after the old
man had gone. The stranger said lit
tie. but he watched his companion
closely, and waited till the sounds of
the cooks footsteps had died out in the
distance. Then he got up, and without
limping walked to the tent opening.
After standing there a moment he
whistled and suddenly turned upon
Turner with drawn revolver.
"Keep still and walk outside" he
said, quietly.
Turner obeyed promptly. He had no
weapon with which to defend himself,
and he was badly frightened.
In few moments second stranger,
lean, raw-boned and taller than the
first, came out of the brush leading two
horses, one saddled, the other bearing
pack. The rising moon shed but dim
light along the mountain side; yet
Turner saw at glance that the ami
mails were the old mail carriers.
"They bit easy" said the shorter man,
with a low laugh There's no one at
camp by this. Now hurry!"
The last arrival emptied the grips and
bags and selected whatever was of
value. He also took a couple of pairs
of blankets and all the ammunition the
boys had left behind them. Then he
began to make pack of what he had
taken.
The tall stranger went to the cook
tent. The other knelt down, laid his
revolver on the ground, kept his eye
constantly on Turner, and made roll
Of what the first had put down.
When he had cinched this onto the
packhorse he marched Turner before
him to the cook-tent.
The flaps of the tent were slightly
parted, but there was no light inside,
and everything was quiet. He stopped
before the opening, gave Turner the
bride reins and made him keep his
hands above his head while at the same
time he held the horses.
"Hurry up with the stuff" he ex-
claimed, looking into the darkness of
the tent. He waited a moment, and,
getting no answer, pushed aside the
flaps and started to enter.
But he had put only one foot inside
when the sound of heavy blow was
heard, and with muf1led cry he fell
forward on his face.
Instantly McGinnis emerged from
the tent, and the surprised Turner saw
him drag out both strangers, almost
together, and dextronsly bind their
hands and feet: A new vigor had come
ir to the old mans frame, new alert
ness. There were purpose and positive
ness in his every movement as he went
about his task.
When the men were secure he looked
a. Turner. The latter suddenly came to
himself and put down his hands. Nc
Ginnis took the weapons from his pris-
oners before they regained conscious
ness, and with Turner's help got them
into the sleeping tent, where there were
lighted candles.
Il never liked this ones looks" Nc
Ginnis said, by way of explanation, as
he wiped the blood from the face of the
man who had brought the letter. "He
looks like he'd set bait for you, an
that's why l wint away an come back
unbeknownce to 'em. | seen 'em whin
l got to the cook-tent, and whin they
come over, | was waitin' fer 'em wild
the bear-trap, the only thing l could
find"
Both men soon return ed to conscious
ness, and after an effort to free them
selves they sat in dogged silence.
In about half an hour several of the
searching party returned with our
pouch of mail, but most of the letters
had been opened, and many of them
were torn and almost destroyed. Soon
after, others came, accompanied by
| three or four strangers, carrying limp
| form, which they laid carefully upon
| one of the beds.
The prisoners looked on intently and
with unmistakable signs of fear.
Morton, our mail carrier, had been
shot in the back, and, though danger
| ouSly wDunIn6 was still 1ivinp