Show The By 0 Fiction MAIL RIDER Richard H H. H Wilkinson Corner EBEN CLIFFORD drew YOUNG L rein and studied the broad valley valley val val- ley of the Hoosick at his feet An hour ago he had abandoned the trail made by his predecessors on their ride from Bennington to Albany Albany Al Al- bany and skirted the western shoulder of Mount Anthony If Indians Indians In In- were waiting waiting wait wait- ing to a ambush m bus h h him i m Eben felt 3 Fiction sure they would choose the Hoo Hoo- sick It offered a means of escape should the mail rider by any chance be accompanied accompanied nied by an escort Eben felt once more of the leather pouch that was tied behind the sad sad- dIe dle Contained therein was a dispatch dispatch dis dis- dis p patch of the utmost importance for Gen Newton at Albany Col Albee o of the Bennington garrison had called Eben aside that morning No one is supposed to know youre you're carrying the papers Eben An escort would only excite cion You must go alone There is o of course the possibility that Bonney Bon Bon- ney the white renegade and his Indian cutthroats have learned rm im up to in any event n it youre you're attacked destroy the pa pa- pers He sat for a lon long time studyIng studyIng study- study Ing lag the valley without moving A curious sense of excitement stirred his blood Without knowing know know- ing lug why he sensed danger A minute later later he glimpsed a column of smoke rising from the summit of a hill hili across the valley A signal fire firel They had sighted him Eben sucked In his breath Well his chances of ot getting through were pretty slim now There was He kept to the high ground for tor an hour watching the smoke signal only one ford tord fordin in the Hoosick that was acc accessible at this time of year They'd never let him cross it The sensible thing to do was turn back and insist upon an an escort A thin smile played across oss his lips Sensible but not at advisable Eben Ehen explored the river for half halt halfa a mile in both directions then urged his mount into the stream THE WATER WAS ICY breath I L taking In another moment the horses horse's legs went out from under him and the swift current was car car- them rapidly down stream Eben did all he could to help the thc noble beast in its fight to reach the opposite shore He was beginning begin ning to think he had underestimated underestimated mated the strength of the current when they struck a sandbar The horse floundered nearly lost its footing then gripped hard and held heli Eben breathed a sigh of re re- re- re lief After Alter a momentary pause he urged the beast toward the west bank banle Ten feet from his goal he drew rein sharply A loose stone had come tumbling down from the high bank Eben sat very still his heart pounding A feathered bonnet showed above the embankment He tried frantically to get his mount toward the east bank but the river sheared off oU there the strength of ot the current was against him The Indians were running along the bank howling and screaming their triumph In another another an an- other moment hed he'd be swept against the high west bank and they'd be upon him Remembering Col Albee's in In- In Eben unwrapped the leather mail mall pouch gripped it tightly tight tight- ly and flung himself himsel from the back backof of the floundering horse Instantly water swept over his head He swam as long and as far as he could beneath the surface Then he bobbed into view and a sense of dismay sent his heart downward He was within three feet teet of the west bank A leering Indian was reaching out toward him Dimly as he went under again Eben heard a chorus of ot wild shouts He lie was far tar below the spot where the Indian had stood but equally as close to the bank To his amazement there were two soldiers standing there yelling and gesticulating One of them was Gen Newton The sound of gunfire came from upriver Thought you might have seen their smoke signal and realized they had sighted us Gen Newton was saying Figured Bonney would be up to something so I led leda a detachment out to meet you Eben sank to the ground It was good to rest |