Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-05-01

money from friends at home to those
who were making the life of the from
tier. Yet day after day and month
after month Torson. pursued his way
unmolested.
II was a New Years week that Tor
son found himself at the Cub Creek
with over GOO letters in his posses
/ sion for the settlers east of that
point. He knew that everyone Of them
was expecting mail and that the
quicker he crossed the prairies the
happier they would be. He took his
supper at Harper's and refused an inc
vitation to spend the night there at
sitting of eribbage.
81 am going to Blue Duck tonight"
he said, "and finish my route by to-
morrow night. Letters are worth
more than food out there, I think"
He filed his pipe, bundled himself
into his sledge, gave his ponies the
rein, and they struck out over the
plain at a rapid pace. Torson's head
was hooded in fur, but there were
openings for the eyes, nose and mouth.
He could look down at the bowl of his
pipe and see the gentle glow of the
coal within. It was his habit TO keep
his tobaeco-poueh strung about his
neck and outside Of his fur coat, so
that he never had to unbutton to reach
/ il. Now 1t laid on the robe which en-
veloped him, its long cord hanging
| loosely about his neck.
On his journeys, having no one else
to talk 10, Torson usually conversed
with his pipe, and this night proved
no exception TO the rule. The mail
carrier told the pipe all the inner Sc
crets Of his soul, he whispered OF am
billions long since dead, he chatted of
his well-beloyed children, he said fond
words Of his wife, he related past New
Years experiences. he wished he were
a boy again and he was thanful that
he was a man He expressed wonder
over the failure Of the hay crop in
the early fan and was delighted that
/ he had lost none Of his cattle, He
spoke eontemptuously Of the govern
meut for the small pay Il gave its serv-
ants and he was delighted that his
horses were sure-footed
The pipe listened To Torson's
mind Il was better than a woman be-
cause it never talked back. The smoke
wreaths curled up from it and float
ed back Of the sledge in white rings.
4 delicate aroma was left on the air
by which If the mail carrier had been
followed quickly he might have been
traced from Cub Creek to Blue
/ Duck.
The ponies kept their even pace and
the night worked its way on. Hill
slopes. buffalo wallows, frozen water
courses, ranges, all were passed, and
stiIl Torson smoked and dreamed.
Perhaps it was ten o'clock, and maybe
it was midnight, but Torson did not
care. His ponies were doing their
best. Sooner or later the lights of
Blue Duck would come in sight. 1t
was good to think of Blue Duck, be-
cause the town meant his own bed
for him and a nights rest under his
own roof
Just then the ponies suddenly
swerved at the bottom of deep
wallow, and then sat down on
their launches as if some one had
grabbed them by the bride and
thrust them back. On the crest of
the east bank of the wallow stood
man, in his hands a rife and by him
two horses and a sledge. They came
up so suddenly before the eyes OF
Torson's ponies that they seemed
TO have risen from the depths of the
snow. The rife was pointed at Tor
sons breast and rough voice told
him TO keep himself and his ponies
still Then the voice said:
Throw out the mail, Torson."
Torson chung to his pipe. The
smoke still curled from its bowl. He
was thinking of great many things,
but he made no move TO reach the
mail in the bottom of the sledge.
Again the voice ordered him to throw
IL out and again the smoke curled
from the pipe. That second Whit
gave Torson new courage, new in
SEPARATION as to what he should do.
lie udu htGh NAARAh 40 - y
but now he was awake. Still holding
the pipe between his lips he uttered
hoarse growl and the ponies under
stood. They knew that Torson never
spoke as other men, because his pipe
was always between his lips. They
Ieaped forward and with dash were
by the highwayman. The rife spoke
Just as they sprang, and Torson felt
over his heart a singing. sickening
blow. but he bravely held his pipe
and the reins and in a very short
time was out of the reach of his as
sailant.
Later in Blue Duck Torson took his
tobacco pouch from his neck, and
found that the bullet from the high
wayman's rifle had gone through it
and the tobacco, also into his heavy
coat and through his flannel, but had
not broken the skin. just above his
heart there was little blue mark.
Torson shook himself, filled his pipe