Macon beacon., 1906-02-17

Ben shook. then said: "Good-by!
Nav 90. sir! Go to SCOTS" Letters
picked up the rag. whined mournlully'
and trotted away over the edge oil 'ne
gully. ,,
one hour two -three-thc dog dio
NOT return. lie was gone. Would ne
keep on the whole ~ miles? Would
he get through in spite Of the dangers
by the way?
When two more days and nlel''5
had passed with no rescue, Ben feared
that Letters was dead, and resolved 10
start himself the next morning
Bones knit all right he thought
after dressing his leg. "Daren I Try
any weight on it yet, but reckon
can travel on one foot Guess ! can
draw the mail sledge, few iods az a
time quite a piece in all day ms
mail has got to so on somehow.
Thus resolved he slept soundiy. IN
the night he was awakened by a
pounce upon his body. He started up,
grasping his revolver.
"Why, Letters!'
The dog barked. pranced, rolled o"ef
stood up on his hind legs, shook HANDS
and manifested delight in every dog
gish way But Ben noticed that he
did II lamely and with nice care, Max
ing his fire blaze, he saw that Letters
was badly scratched with sore sears
besides being very tired.
No doubt the dog had been in hgh'
with some wild beast day or two as2
But the chip was gone-evidently Let
ters had lost it,
Ben fed the dog literally and the
two lay down together They would
start in the morning, and Letters
would help him.
Just after daylight Letters leaped
up. barking. and ran out OF sight along
fhr trail. Ben heard him barking 4
long way of. Soon clear Hello!
sounded above his bark, and presently
Letters reappeared at the brow of the
guch proudly leading three stalwart
settlers.
Hello down there" one cried, "Al
alive and clipper eh? That's good
We feared-How's this? We expected
to find Dick Garry! Well we'll! AnC
you're getting on fine. Boy, you've
done a big thing; mighty few mel
could have managed so WELL
Ben shook hands all round. Ther
came a reaction. lie buried his fact
in his hands and sobbed for severa
minutes.
Don't. now." "Sho!" Your harC
times are all over now, youngsterl
Take it easy" With such assurance
the men soothed him until he became
calm.
One of them busy getting breakfast
broke out: "Wel, if the youngste
hain't kept camp neatern a well man
Meat hung up, eeyrything clean an
handy, no litter And he most too lam
to stirl'
"Sho! So he has. But see this her
leg. Bill If there's doctor can do u
broken limb in a handler job thai
this | don't know him! Ben, you're
buster"
While eating, they told Ben how Let
ters appeared at Scotts, torn an
bloody. They inferred he had met ma
fought off a wildcat. The chip whic
he carried was read, and three me
started as soon as they could &c
ready. Letters wounds were dressed
he was fed and given a bed by tn
fire, but he soon started after the mer
and kept with them until they wer
about a dozen miles from Whitewater
when he dashed ahead alone,
After breakfast one of the men sc
off with the mail. The other two rigge
litter of two poles, with skins lashe
across them, on which Ben lay con
fortably, while the men shouldered th
poles and carried him.
The mail reached ScOttS on IN
morning of the day before Christina;
What Christmas eve the settler
made for him!
There was not another stocking /
all that region so stuffed as his o
Christmas morning, and there wer,
besides parcels that it could not hole
He was given a seat of honor at tn
Christmas dinner at Scotts, and whe
the toast was given, THE Witchwate
Mail" to which Ben was expected t
speak, all he could say being great
abashed at the cheering, was:
) Ladies and gentlemen. The mail
: well-er-the mail-shes bound to g
t through if the mountains don't fall o
us! Eh, Letters?'
> Letters was seated in a chair whel
. he could catch mOrsels thrown to hir
At this appeal he barked right enthus
astically plainly replying, Right yO
5 are, Master Benl'-Youth's Compa
ion.