Year: 1859

asked the landlord who that was, de-
scrbing the suspicious individual. He
said he did not know him. He had come
there that afternoon, and intended to
leave sometime during the next day.
The host asked me why wished to know,
and l simply told him the mans counte
nance was familiar, and l merely wished
to know if was acquainted with him. /
resolved not to let the landlord into the
secret, but to hurry on to Jackson and
give the information to the sheriff, and
perhaps he might reach the inn before
the villain left, for had no doubt in re-
gard to his identity.


!" had an alarm watch, and having
set it to give the alarm at one O'Clock, l
went to sleep. was aroused at the
proper time and Immediately got up and
dressed myself. When | reached the
yard | found the clouds had all passed
away, and the moon was shining bright
ly. The hostler was early aroused, and
by two o'clock was on the road. The
mud was deep and my horse could not
travel very fast, yet it struck me the
beast made more work than there was
any need of, for the cart was entirely
empty.


" However, on we went, and in the
course of half an hour l was clear of the
village. AT short distance ahead Law a
large tract of forest, mostly of green
pines. The road led directly through
this wood, and as near as / could remem-
Der the distance was about twelve miles.
Yet as the moon was in the east, and the
road ran nearly west, should have light
enough. l had entered the wood, and
had gone about half mile, when my
wagon wheels settled, with bum and a
jerk, into deep hole. l uttered an ex-
clamaton of astonishment, but that was
not all. heard another exclamation
from different source.


What could it be l looked quick
ly around, but could see nothing. Yet |
knew the sound l heard was close to
me. As the hind wheels came up,
heard something besides the jerk of the
hole. heard something tumble from
one side TO the other of my wagon, and
| could also feel the jar occasioned by
the movement. 1t was simply man in
my cart.


Il knew this on the instant. OF
course | felt puzzled. AT first l imag-
ined some poor fellow had taken this
method of obtaining a ride; but soon
gave this up, for | knew that any decent
man would have asked me for ride.
My next idea was that somebody had got
in there to sleep but this passed away
as quickly as it came, for no man would
have broken into my cart for that pur-
pose. And that thought, gentlemen,
opened my eyes. Whoever was there
broke in.


!" My next thoughts were of Mr.. Dick
Hardhead. He had heard me say that
load was all sold out, and of course he
supposed | had some money with me.
In that he was right, for had over two
thousand dollars. l also thought he
meant to leave the cart when he supposed
had reached safe place, and either
reach over and shoot me, or knock me
down. All this passed through my mind
by the time | had got rod from the
hole.


Now / never make it point to brag
on myself, yet l have seen great deal
of the world, and am pretty cool and
clear headed under difficulty. In very
few moments my resolution was formed
My horse was knee deep in mud, and
knew that | could slip off without noise
So l drew my revolver. | never travel
in that country without one. drew
this, and having twined the reins about
the whipstock, carefully slipped down
in the mud, and as the cart passed on,
went behind and examined the hasp.


The door of the cart lets down, and
Is fastened by hasp which slips over a
staple, and is then secured by paddock
The paddock was gone, and the hasp was
secured by a bit of pine stick, so that .
slight force from within could break it
My wheel wrench hung in a leather
bucket on the side of the cart, and
/ quickly took it out, and slipped it in the
staple, the iron handle just sliding down


Now l had him. Ny cart was al
most new, with stout frame of white
oak. and made on purpose for hard usage
| did not believe that an ordinary mar
could break out. got 10 my cart a
noiselessly as | could, and urged ny
horse on, and still kept my pistol handy