Year: 1866

| 0tner upon tuo iruutlerI ouiouJ 10 you oa"
me arrive to. night-on horseback I have
met Indians, and have encountered worse
desperadoes of my own color on the out
side I have always made it point to gel
over my route by daylight, if it were posi-
BILE; but if not, I used to make the remain
der of the journey in the evening, and
thought nothing Of it in my younger days
But, as 1 was saying, had an adventur.
in the end that put me on my guard


cit was twelve or thirteen years ago.
when I was younger than I am now, and
much better fitted for hardships, that va.
running this same route that carry now,
1t is good fifty miles from here to the other
end Of the route, and with tho roads, OF
paths-for there is nothing more-it make,
me good days ride, even IN summer. The
route was new then-tbat is, it had just
been laid out, and = little roundabout way
taken, so as bring in three villages along
the away.


"The village Of A. was quite place
for the times-hslf dozen houses scatter.
ed along, here and there. The rest were
just settlements, where I left about one let.
ter in month, and paper half a, often.
At both ends of the route was little vii.
lage, and when say that these five places
contained every house upon the route, you
can guess something how lonely it must
have been.


! "There was man in B, the other
extremity of my route, who expected sum
of money by mail, and he made deal more
noise than should about it. One day be
had letter assuring him that it would be
sent just week from date. But the week
went by, and no money


"Nov I shall expect you to bring me
that hundred dollars tomorrow night he
says to me one morning as was starting
for this place.


"There was generally = crowd around
when I went, and on this special occasion
there were several whose looks I didn't like,
though I wasn't really afraid for myself. I
thought Augustus Britchard had better
keep still about his money, for his own
sake. I gave him . wink, but be wouldn't
heed it, and kept telling how sure he was
that it would be along in the next mail.


81 made my journey over, and started
back next morning. I went on till noon,
and then stopped at A, where the mail
was changed while I ate dinner and fed
my horse.


"After dinner took a smoke, for my
pipe was always my best friend, and after
that was smoked out, I went down to the
barn, where l had left my horse. But no
horse was there I looked in every improb-
able place, to see that somebody hadn't
changed him, and then 1 asked the inn
keeper. He knew nothing about it, and it
required quite an effort to convince him
that was not joking.


"Pretty soon We had raised general
alarm, and al the men turned out to help
look for him But it didn't amount to any
thing. We spent more than two hours
looking for him, and finally some women
espied him coming back the Same way we
had come that morning But that was all.
We did not find any explanation of the af-
fair then, though found one afterwards.


81 packed off at once, and rode as fast
as could to make up lost time. But
had lost too much, and the roads we're too
rough for me to make up. 1t was ten or
eleven miles to c., the only settlement
between And B.. 1t was after
FIVE o'clock when I reached it, and toward
six when was ready to start again. I had
yet fifteen miles to go-most of the way
through woods-and, but for the fact that
I Was we'll acquainted with the route, it
would have been difficult one to follow.


81 resolved to make the best of what day.
light remained, and so | put Charlie--my
horse-to the best Of his speed, and We
went on an easy trot, where the ground
would allow, for two miles. 1t was getting
little dusk, and was thinking whether
Augustus Blrtohard would be at the post
Office when l should arrive with the mail,
when my horse gave little start. I looked
up and saw three men coming down sort
of glade, where few trees grew, and they
were close to me already. They were all
mounted, though I did not recognize any Of
them.


scare you going to B-7' says one of
them holding up bis finger. l remember
just the motion, to this day.


"'That is my destination,' said I, keep.
ing a sharp look out for their movements.


"'Then if you don't object he continu-
ed I'VE will ride along with you. We have
been off and on the road till We had just
made up our minds to camp for the night
1t is mighty blind road stranger =


"'It u.s. returned, 'and you are welcome
to ride with me if you see fit. But 1 ad-
wise you to hasten, for it is still more dis.
agreeable road after dark


"sTbat is fact the fellow continued,
especially when chap has letters in the
mail pith money IN EN-!


"sWhat do you mean by that?' de-
manded, looking at him carelessly, but
sharply, suspect.


"sOh nothing he returned, very coolly,
sonly l was out to B., when Britchard
was so anxious for you to bring his money
to.night-let's see-'twas yesterday morn
ing