Year: 1860

resolved not 10 let the landlord into the Sc.
cret, but 10 hurry on TO Jackson, and there
give Information to the Sheriff, and perhaps
he might reach the inn before the villain
left, for had no doubts with regard TO his'
identity.


III had an alarm watch, and having set
it TO give the alarm at one O'Clock, l went
to sleep. l was aroused at the proper time,
and Immediately got up and dressed my
self When | reached the yard, found the
clouds all passed away, and the moon was
shining brightly. The ostler was easily
aroused, and by two O'Clock was on my
road. The mud was deep, and my horse
could not travel fast-yet it struck me that
the beast made more work than there was
any need of, for The cart was nearly empty.
However, on we went, and in the
course of half an hour l was clear of the
village. AT a short distance ahead lay
( large tract of forest, mostly of great pines.
The road led directly through this wood,
and as near as | could remember, the dis
tance was twelve miles. Yet the moon
was in the east, and as the road ran nearly
west, | should have light enough. ] had
entered the woods, and had gone about half
a mile, when my wagon wheels settled,
with bump: and jerk, into deep hole.
! | uttered an exclamation of astonishment,
I but that was Eot all. | heard another ex.
clamation from another source


"What could it be looked quickly
around, but could see nothing. Yet knew
that the sound | heard was very close TO
me. AS the hind wheels came up l felt
something besides the jerk of the hole. /
hear something tumble from one side 20 the
other of my wagon, and could feel the j ar
occasioned by the movement. 1t was sim
ply man in my cart knew this on the
instant. OF course felt puzzled. At first
imagined some poor fellow had taken this
method to obtain a ride; but | soon gave
this up, for knew that any decent man
| would have asked me for ride. My next
idea was somebody had gone TO sleep; but
they passed away as quickly as ii came for
10 man wonld have broken into nv cart for
that purpose. And that thought, gentle
men, opened my eyes. Whoever was there
I had broken in.


''My next Thoughts were OF Dick Hard
head. He had heard me say that my load
was sold out. and of course he supposed
i had some money with me. In this he was
right, for had over two thousand dollars.
| | also thought he meant to leave the cart
when he supposed | had reached some
quiet place, and then either creep over and
shoot me, or knock me down. All this pas
a rod from the hole.


"Now, never make it a point to brag of
myself, but have seen some ofthe world,
and | am pretty cool and clear headed un-
der difficulty. In a very few moments
my resolution was formed. My horse was
now knee deep in The mud, and | knew
could slip off without noise. So drew my
revolver-I never travel in that country
without one-I drew this, and having twin
ed the reins about the whip stock. | care
fully slipped down in the mud, and as the
cart passed on ! went behind it and exam
/ ined the hasp.


fsThe door of the cart lets down, and is
[ fastened by hasp, which slips over a sta
pie and is then secured by paddock. The
! paddock was gone, and the hasp was secur-
ed in It's place by bit of pine-so that a
slight force within would break it. My
! wheel wrench hung in leather bucket on
the side of the cart, and / quietly tock it
out and slipped it into the staple, the iron
handle just sliding down.


"Now had him. My cart was almost
new, made in a stout frame of white oak,
and made on purpose for hard usage.
did not believe any ordinary man could
break ou:. | got on my cart as noiselessly
as got of, and then urged my horse on,
still keeping my pistol handy. knew
that the distance of half a mile further
should come to a good hard road, and al
lowed my horse TO pick his own way thro'
the mud. About ten minutes after this
heard motion in the cart, followed by a
grinding noise, as though some heavy force
were being applied TO the door. | said
nothing, but the idea struck me that the VII
lain might Judge where sat and shoot up
through the top of the cart at me, SO sat
down upon the foot-board.


'sOi course | knew that my unexpected
passenger was villain, for he must have
been awake ever since | started, and MOTH
ing In the world but absolute villainy would
have caused him TO remain quiet so long,
and then start up 10 this parkcular place
The humping and pushing grew louder and
louder, and pretty soon | heard human
voice.


"Let me ont of this ~ he cried, and he
yelled pretty loud.


81 lifted up my head SO as TO make him
think was sitting in the usual place, and
then asked HIM what he was doing there.