George Waldo Browne

“ Ab Raggles had suddenly appeared upon the scene, looking more uncouth and haggard than ever. His clothing was torn almost in shreds, and his hands and face were bleeding from several scratches and cuts.
He seemed to see no one but Little Snap, to whom he cried:
"Come with me, Dix Lewis, to Greenbrier Cave."
"What is it?" asked the postboy.
"Oh, such doings! They have got 'em all fast in th' cave. You must come to once—you an' the rest." ”

“ The faithful steed needed no urging to do this, and with the reports of the baffled men's firearms and the cries of the startled Raggles family ringing in his ears, the postboy of the Kanawha dashed furiously down the path leading to the main road from Greenbrier to Six Roads.
Not a word escaped his tightly compressed lips, until the highway was reached, when he patted his horse on the neck, saying, gently:
"Easy, now, Jack, old boy; the danger is over for the present. It was a close call, but a miss is as good as a mile, though I don't care to go through that experience again." ”

“ Little Snap had thought to seize the sack and spring down upon the lower rim of ledge out of the outlaw's reach before he could stop him. But Robin Burrnock proved himself almost as nimble as his young assailant, so the postboy found himself caught in the man's strong arms, when the twain became locked in a hand-to-hand struggle for life or death. ”

“ The next instant he felt a quiver run through the frame of the faithful steed, and he knew that she was falling!
Under the weight of her burden the mare somehow missed her footing, her feet slipped on the treacherous way, and she tried in vain to recover her equilibrium.
Finding that she was falling, Little Snap freed his feet from the stirrups just as horse and rider shot headlong into the boiling river! ”

“ The gnarled live oak, with its blasted top, where Little Snap had met Old Solitaire so many times, stood on the west side of the ascent leading to the Narrows, where the road wound over a spur of the mountain, to descend into one of the wildest valleys even the hackneyed landscape of the Old Dominion can show. ”

“ Whatever the politician said to the Hollow Tree postmaster and Sheriff Brady he did not know, but the entire party went away at once.
"It's all right, mother," he said to her, as soon as the men had gone, "so have no further concern."
"I wish I could think so, my son; but somehow I fear there is trouble in store for you. Mr. Brady has been telling me about those Burrnocks, and he says they will kill you at the first opportunity. They are dreadful men, and I fear they would not hesitate at any crime. I wish you would give up carrying the mail, Dix; we can live somehow." ”

“ You seem to forget that if there is any fault to be found I am the one to complain to. I am under bonds to the United States Government to see that the mail is carried on the Kanawha route in a proper manner."
"You can't stand between us and justice," replied Claverton. "My court has found the youngster guilty of high misdemeanors, and if you wish to father them, all right. Otherwise he goes to jail inside of——"
"Go to jail yourself and take your court along with you!" cried the imperturbable Calvert. ”

“ Warfield," said the postboy, in his quiet, determined way, "I am not going to make any new promise, but I repeat those I have made, and when you have found me faithless to my duty I will willingly make room for Mr. Shag or any other man."
The mention of the name of the postmaster of Hollow Tree made the politician wince.
"Bah! he isn't half so competent to carry the mail as your horse, Jack."
"Still he is making all of this trouble, simply because he is mad with me for getting the route when he wanted it. There you have the truth in a nutshell." ”

“ He will soon come around all right. Wonder how Buzz Burrnock has fared," stepping at the same time to the edge of the bluff to look into the depths.
A dark object caught in a thicket of bushes clinging to the side of the chasm twenty or thirty feet below soon resolved itself into the figure of a man.
"He isn't as bad off as he might be," mused Little Snap. "Well, I will leave the precious pair to look after themselves."
The clatter of a horse's hoofs in the Devil's Wash Bowl at that moment told that Jack had reached the foot of the descent and was beginning to climb the opposite heights. ”

“ A puzzled look came over the swarthy countenance of the bushbinder, as he was not fully satisfied with the postboy's reply, but before he could speak again, Budd Grass appeared upon the scene with the mail bag. As she handed it to Little Snap, she whispered:
"Look sharp! you are threatened with trouble."
Dix Lewis would fain have asked her what she meant, but he could not do so without arousing the attention of Pewee Burrnock, which he did not think advisable to do.
Accordingly, he bade her "good-day," and rode away from the office at a smart canter. ”

“ Thanking him, the postboy returned to the post office for the mail.
"Any trouble to-day, Dix?" asked Budd Grass, who seemed to divine that something unusual had been happening.
"Nothing more serious than the falling of one of the Burrnock brothers down the side of Greenbrier and breaking his neck. Mail all right?"
"It seems to be, and, judging by the size of the package, the Hollow Tree folks won't have reason to complain this time. But you have not told me all about this Burrnock's falling and—was he killed? Oh! how I fear those men, and I tremble for you every time you go past. ”

“ Looking back as he turned an angle in the road, the last that he saw of the singular twain they had not moved.
Old Solitaire was still holding the stranger's horse by the bit, while the horseman was gazing intently at him.
"It all beats me!" thought Little Snap. "I don't see as I can do any better than to keep on. I think Old Solitaire is able to take care of himself. At any rate, Tom, you and I have evidently all we can look after."
The postboy found that the account of the flood in Tripping Waters Valley had preceded him to Greenbrier, and the postmistress asked him for the full particulars. ”

“ Losing no further time in talk, the postboy threw the saddle on Fairy's back, and when she was in readiness for a start, he led Jack out of his stall, and slipped the bridle on his head.
"I wouldn't do it, Jack, old fellow, only I must. We have a long ride before us, and a strange one."
The next moment he was in the saddle and ready for a start.
"Don't get worried, mother, whatever happens. I can look out for myself. I count on getting to Volney about one o'clock; then I shall rest an hour and a half before starting back. I will get home, if nothing happens, at half-past five." ”

“ Dan Shag seemed everywhere present, repeating, in a loud tone, his grievances, and continuing his threats against the postmaster, who offered him no reply.
Mr. Warfield was out of town, but in the afternoon of the same day he got home from Volney, Little Snap was paid a visit by the politician's secretary.
"I felt it my duty to call upon you," said Mr. Jones, "relative to the matter I know must be fresh in your mind."
"I do not understand what you refer to," replied Dix, not at all pleased with this call.
"Nothing is so hard to understand as what we do not wish to understand," said the other. ”

“ Rimmon ask you to be at the office in the morning?"
"Yes, and so I will. I know it is a long ride to Volney, Mr. Calvert's home, but I shall take both Jack and Fairy, and I will fetch around before six in the morning, never fear."
"I am afraid you cannot. What if you shouldn't?"
"I will not fail, mother, so please do not object any longer. Every moment is precious to me. The horses have had their supper, and I will be away in less than three minutes." ”

“ Then, before the surprised twain could recover enough to prevent him, the gallant Jack leaped forward at the top of his speed, his body swaying to and fro, striking Buzzard Burrnock in such a way as to send him headlong down the abyss yawning on the right side of the road. ”

“ Little Snap knew enough of the natures of the men menacing his life to feel that he was running no greater risk in trying to get away from them than he would in allowing himself to fall into their power. ”

“ The post office at this lively hamlet was managed by a woman by the odd name of Budd Grass, who had received her appointment about the time Little Snap had begun to carry the mail.
The postboy dashed along the crooked street, lined with its rude habitations, until he came in sight of the post office, where he saw the postmistress standing in the doorway, an anxious look upon her handsome features.
She was a woman of about thirty, and had won Little Snap's friendship at the first.
"You are late," she said, by way of greeting. ”

“ Little thinking of what was in store for him at his home town, the postboy urged Jack on at greater speed than common, until at last he dashed up in front of the Six Roads post office, kept by John Rimmon, who also had a small trade in groceries.
The postmaster met him at the door, with a troubled look upon his features.
"What in the world have you been doing all this time, Dix Lewis? Hold on! don't dismount. Jason Warfield left word here for me to tell you to come right up to his house the minute you got in. He wants to see you on matters of vital importance. Them's just his words." ”

“ Three or four caught upon Fairy's bit with a force which dragged her back upon her haunches, and Little Snap was nearly pulled from his seat.
Realizing his desperate situation, the postboy dextrously slipped the bridle from the mare's head, at the same time shouting for her to rush on. Rallying, she made the wild attempt, and Jack, having already cleared a way through the party, she followed upon his heels. ”

“ But Greenbrier River, as we have seen, was rapid in this vicinity, so our hero had to look sharp for himself, as he followed its course to a place where he could scale its precipitous bank.
This he did not succeed in doing until he had got within a short distance of the wrecked bridge, where he had had his thrilling experience that morning.
"Poor Fairy!" he thought, as he looked for trace of her, "you must have been killed outright by the fall. It was a fearful chance, but—hark! I hear horsemen coming." ”

“ This office afforded the mail facility for the inhabitants of "Blazed Acre," an isolated settlement of lawless people, among whom dwelt the bushbinders. The place was three miles and a half back from the post road, and reached only by a bridle path.
"It's purty light to-day," said the postmaster, as he took the mail pouch from the postboy and carried it into the Hollow Tree, that had been fitted up in a rude sort of 22way with recesses for the few letters and papers making up the intercourse the people of the Blazed Acre had with the outside world. ”

“ Anderson.
"Do so, and you will lose your own head," cried Meiggs. "This has gone as far as it is going. I understand two of those missing letters were for me. I want my letters. Now, Mr. Lewis, give up those letters, or you don't leave this yard."
"I should like to see you stop me," replied Little Snap. "I know my footing, and, for the last time, I demand that mail pouch, Mr. Anderson. I am needed at home at this very moment. I have enough to contend with outside of those who should be my supporters." ”

“ Rimmon a robber of the United States mail? It is a bold utterance, for even a rash-headed youth to make, and I can promise you it shall be taken for all it is worth. Good-day."
"Perhaps I was too outspoken with him," said the postboy to his mother, when he had explained the object of the other's visit, "but I could not help it. That man is one of those who is at the bottom of my troubles, and he it is who has caused Mr. Warfield to do as he has." ”

“ I am growing more and more anxious about him. He seems to grow more moody every day. I am so sorry for him, and I know not what can be done."
Little Snap offered such encouraging words as he could, though he could not forget the fact of his father's presence among the outlaws of Greenbrier cave. It was true he had not seen his countenance, but he was none the less certain of the truth of the situation. He trembled for the ultimate outcome of the mystery.
Another thing puzzled him not a little, and that was the mention of the names of "judge" and "colonel" by Bird Burrnock. ”

“ Fearing that the opposition might end in more serious trouble, the postboy hesitated. If the two men should come to blows, he felt certain this Austin Goings would handle the old hermit roughly.
"I do not think he means me any harm, uncle. I will look out for myself."
"He has no business here with you," said the hermit. "Man, if you are honest, go back the way whence you have come." ”