Year: 1872

when my wagon wheels settled with bump
and q jerk into deep hole. | uttered an
exclamation Of astonishment, but that was not
all. heard another exclamation from an.
other source


What could il be7 looked quickly
around but could sec nothing. Yet | knew
that the sound heard was very close to me.
As the hind wheels came up, felt something
besides the jerk Of the wheels. | heard
something tumble from one side 10 the other
of my wagon, and could also feel the jar
occasoned by the movement. 1t was simply
a man in my cart knew this on the in.
slant. OF course | felt puzzled At first
| imagined some poor fellow had taken th,
method to obtain ride but soon gave this
up, for knew that any decent man would
have asked me for a ride. My next idea
was that somebody had got in to sleep but
this passed as quickly as il came, for no man
would have broken into my cart for that pur-
pose. And that thought, gentlemen, open
ed my eyes. Whoever was in there had
broken in.


My next thoughts were of Mr.. Dick
IIardhead He had heard me say that my
load was all sold, and OF course he supposed
that had some money with me. In this he
was right, for had over two thousand dol


lars | also thought he meant to leave the
cart when he supposed had reached safe
place, then either creep 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 point to brag Of my
self, but have seen great deal of the world,
and | am pretty cool and clear-headed under
difficulty. In very few moments my reso-
luton was formed My horse was now knee
deep in the mud, and knew | could slip Of
without noise. SO drew my revolver
never travel in the country without rae--,
drew this and having twined the reins about
the whipstock, carefully slipped down in
the mud and as the cart passed on | went
behind it and examined the hasp.


"The door Of the cart let's down, and is
fastened by hasp. which slips over a staple,
and is then secured by paddock. The pad.
lock was gone, aud the hasp was secured in
in its place by bit of pnc-so that a slight
force from within could break it. My wheel
wrench hung in leather bucket by the side
Of the cart, and | quickly took it out and
slipped it into the staple, the iron handle just
sliding down.


"Now had him. My cart was almost
new made 10 a stout frame Of white oak, and


made on purpose for hard use did not be-


lieve any ordinary man could break out,
got on TO my cart as noiselessly as got of


and then urged my horse on, still keeping my


pistol handy. knew that at the distance Of


half mile further should come to good


hard road, and SO allowed my horse TO pick


his way through the mud. About ten min.


utes after this | heard motion in the cart


followed by grinding noise, as though some


heavy force were being applied to the door


| said nothing, but the idea struck me tha


the villain might judge where | sat and shoo


up through the top Of the cart at me, so | sa


down on the foot-bosrd.


"Of course knew now that my unexpected


passenger was villain for he must have beer


awake ever since started, and nothing in tn


world but absolute villainy would have causet


biz to remain quiet 50 long, and then star
Z up ~ this particular place. The thumpin


aud pounding grew louder and louder, an


pretty soon | heard human voice


al Let me out Of this, he cried, and h


yelled pretty loud.


F"I lifted up my head so as to make hir


thtpk was sitting in my usual place. an
4 thea asked him what he was doing there.
a a Ts,s. me ont and will tell vanl he rt
: y Tell me what you are there for said
e got in here to sleep on your rags h
d answered


i. - f4t ne out, or | will shoot you throug
:. lie head, be yelled.


u that borgofa g.
n struck the hard road, and | knew that tn
J. rest Of the route to Jackson would be goo
). going. The distance was twelve miles.
70 slipped back on the foot board and took tn
e whip. had the same horse I've got now
IS tall, stout, powerful hay mare-and 20


may believe there's some 60 in her. At an
(. rate she struck gait that even astonishe
n me. She had received good mess of oat
ie the air was cool, and she felt like going. |
d fifteen minutes we cleared the woods. an
IT away we went on keen jump. The chap il
r side kept yelling to be let out.
lie Finally he stopped, and in few minute
'r came the report of stol-one-two-thre
2, -four, one right after the other, and hear
it the balls whiz over my head. If had bee
'e on my seat, one of those balls, if not two
r, them, would have gone through me. | poppe
,r my head up again and gave yell, and the
1t u deep groan, and then said, Oh, God say
a me I'm dead man ! Then | made
al shutting noise, as though | was falling Of


and finally settled down on the footboar
le again. now urged up the old mare by gi'
is ing her an occasional strike with the butt
Of my whip-stock, and she peeled it faster ths
ut ever


| The man called out to me twice moi
ie pretty soon after this, and as he got no repl
if he made some tremendous endeavors to brea
ut the door open, and as this failed him he mac
o. several attempts upon the top. But hs
ID no fear Of his doing anything there, for Il
ID top of the cart is framed in dove.tails, au
It, each sleeper bolted to the posts with ire
or bolts. had made it 80 could carry hea,
g. loads there. By and by, after all else failC
&. the scamp commenced to holer whoa to Il
I'd horse, and kept it up until he became qui
Of hoarse All this time | kept quiet, holdir
l the reins firmly, and kept poking the bea
c. with the stock.


of We were not an hour in going that doz,
C. miles-not bit Of it. hadn't much fear
d. perhaps might tell the truth and say that
lis had none, for had good pistol, and mo
ry than that, my passenger was safe ; yet WI
as glad when | came TO the old -four barr
lie, factory that stands at the edge of Jacks,
We village and in ten minutes more haul
ks up 10 front of the tavern, and found coup
or of men in the barn cleaning down some stab
10 horses


a. Well, old feller,' says |, as got doy
he and went around to the back of the wago
be you have had good ride, have not ye? I?
lot 80 Who are you ? he cried he XII
n. of swore little, too, as he asked the que
- ton.


1 "a. I'm the man you tried to shoot, W
IA my reply.


as "' Where am II Let me out be yele
to "' Look here, we've come to safe sto
ry ping place, and mind ye' my revolver