Books: Jack of the Pony Express
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Frank V. Webster >> Jack of the Pony Express
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Jack hardly knew what to think. But there came a sudden desire in his heart
to be near Jennie--to be ready in case she called.
"Come on, Sunger, hit it up!" Jack cried, as this idea came to him. "We've
got to hustle and get to Golden Crossing as soon as we can!"
The intelligent beast appeared to know what was said to him, and increased
his pace. Jack thundered over the bridge where once he had so nearly had an
accident. He thought of the loosened planks, which had been fixed, and
again he wondered who had misplaced them--if it had been done by design.
On and on he rode over the trail, until he swung into Golden Crossing. He
was ahead of time, and the crowd that usually congregated about the post
office to wait for the sorting of the mail was not there.
The road about the little office was thick with dust, and the feet of
Jack's pony made scarcely a sound as he rode up. As he leaped to the ground
he heard through the open windows of the place voices in loud conversation.
One voice was that of a man, and said:
"Well, now, miss, you'd better tell us what we want to know. We'll find out
somehow, and the more trouble you give us, the more trouble we'll give you.
If you don't--"
"There's no use asking me!" broke in the voice of Postmistress Jennie
herself. "You're not going to get that information, and the sooner you
understand that the better!"
"Say!" exclaimed the third voice--that of a man--if you don't tell us,
we'll--"
"Mail!" cried Jack, in a loud voice, as he sprang into the place through
the window. "I thought I was too early, but I guess I'm just in time," he
grimly added, as he swung around and faced two men who stood in front of
Jennie Blake.
CHAPTER VI
THE SECRET MINE
Whether the young postmistress, or the two strange men, was the more
surprised could not be told. Both Jennie and her annoyers started at the
sudden appearance of the young pony rider. Then looks of anger and
annoyance came over the faces of the two men, while Jennie appeared
relieved.
"What's the trouble?" asked Jack, and with a seemingly careless motion he
threw open his coat. In his belt was a revolver, which he carried more
because the regulations compelled him to than because he really thought he
would ever need it.
"Trouble? There's no trouble," said one of the men in surly tones. "Who are
you, anyhow, to come butting in?"
"Oh, Jack!" exclaimed Jennie. "They want--"
"I'm the pony express rider on this route," interrupted Jack, with a nod at
Jennie, as if to beg her pardon for not letting her finish. "I just came in
with the mail. It's outside, but I thought I heard some trouble in here, so
I just jumped in--just in time, perhaps, too," he added, significantly.
"If you're looking for trouble," began one of the men, "I guess we can
accommodate you."
"That's enough," his companion said. "Come on out. Don't you know when to
quit?"
"Oh, Jack, they were so annoying!" cried Jennie. "They came in here when I
was all alone, and insisted on knowing the times when all the mails and
express shipments went out and came in. I said I wasn't supposed to tell
strangers that unless there was a particular reason why they should know.
Ought I to have told them? They said if I didn't they would make trouble
for me."
"They'd better try it!" Jack exclaimed, with flashing eyes. "Now, look
here, you fellows!" he went on. "I don't know who you are, nor what your
game is, but you'd better get out of here. This is government property, and
I'm a government employee for the time being, and I've got authority to
order you out of here. Now, you--get!"
For a moment one of the men hesitated, though the other seemed anxious to
leave. Jack threw open the door, and pointed in the direction of the trail
outside.
"Get out!" he exclaimed again, "and if you think I'm not big enough to
handle you I can get help. Tim!" he called, as he saw the doughty
red-haired youth who helped Jennie, "just come in here, will you?"
"Why sure I will, Jack," was the answer, Tim having just loomed into sight.
"I didn't know you were here. Is there mail to carry out?"
"Well, there are a couple of _males_ who need putting out, if not carrying
out," said Jack, smiling grimly at his play upon the words.
"Come on!" muttered the more conciliatory of the two intruders, and with
black looks at Jack and Jennie, the two men left the post office.
"Were those the men?" asked Tim, coming in as the two went off down the
rail.
"Yes," said Jack. "But they saved us the trouble of carrying them out. Now,
Jennie, what was it all about?"
For a moment the girl seemed on the verge of tears, and Jack found himself
earnestly hoping that she would not have hysterics. But she bravely
conquered her inclination.
"Oh, Jack! I'm so glad you came!" she exclaimed, as she held out both her
hands, which the young pony rider clasped warmly.
"I guess this is no place for me!" muttered Tim, with a sly wink.
"Oh, yes, Tim, stay!" Jennie begged. "I'll tell you about it, too. You'll
want to know in case these men ever come back."
"If they do!" exclaimed Jack, doubling up his fists, "I'll--"
"Oh, please don't fight with them!" pleaded Jennie. "Just let the sheriff
deal with them, Jack."
"Well, if I can't manage them myself, I'll call for help," promised the
youth. "But now tell me about it. Who were they?"
"I don't know, Jack. They are strangers around here. I was working all
alone in the office, getting my reports into shape, and was just going to
check up my stamps, when they came in. I had left the private door open, as
I didn't expect any one. Mother is away for the day, but I didn't in the
least mind being left, as I had a lot of work to do.
"Well, these men began asking all sorts of questions. I don't mind giving
information to strangers if it's the kind I can safely let out of the
office, but they wanted to know too much. Why, they even asked about you!"
"They did? Why, they didn't seem to know me just now!"
"Perhaps they didn't by sight, but they knew your name, and they asked me
how often you made the trips, where you stopped, how long it took, and they
even wanted to know what kind of a horse you rode.
"I simply refused to tell them, and then they began to threaten and
bluster. I was beginning to get frightened, but I made up my mind I
wouldn't give in to them. And then--well, you came along, and I guess I
never was so glad to see you, Jack! But, of course, they really did me no
harm. How did it happen that you got here ahead of time?"
"Oh, I just hurried, that was all," Jack answered. He did not want to tell
Jennie what he had overheard on the road. It might make her nervous, as she
might think there was some plot afoot to rob the post office.
"And there is something in the wind, or I'm mistaken," mused Jack, "though
what it is I can't guess. I'm going to be on the watch harder than ever.
The plot is beginning to thicken, as they say in stories," and he made a
mental picture of the two men.
The stage coach came in a little later, and Jack received a number of
parcels for transmission to Rainbow Ridge. As he was ahead of time, and as
there was some mail of importance, Jack resolved to make an immediate trip
back, though he would not arrive at the other end of the trail until after
dark.
"Oh, Jack! Do you think it will be safe?" Jennie asked.
"What safe?" he asked, with a smile. "The mail?"
"No--you!"
"Why shouldn't I be safe? I've ridden the trail before after dark."
"I know. But those--those men--"
"Nonsense! I'm not afraid."
Nevertheless, Jack was a little nervous as he galloped along the mountain
path after night had fallen. He started at every little noise, for while
there had been no robberies of the mail for some time, still such things
were known to happen occasionally.
But the two strangers who had annoyed Jennie were not seen around town
after the episode, and Jack did not think they were desperate enough to try
to hold him up. Besides, while there were some letters and parcels of
importance, there was not enough of value in the pouches this trip to make
it an inducement for robbery.
"They wouldn't take the risk for what I've got with me," reasoned Jack. And
he was right. At least there was no attack on him, and he reached Rainbow
Ridge safely and delivered his stuff.
Mr. Bailey was not quite so well next day, and Jack was worried about him.
But Dr. Brown said the ailment, which was a form of intermittent fever,
might often take a turn like that. Jack said nothing to his father about
the two men who had annoyed his cousin, but he did report the occurrence to
Mr. Perkfeld, who promised to have an investigation made.
But nothing was heard of the men, nor could any trace of them be found,
after a somewhat limited search was made.
"I guess they were just fresh tenderfeet," said the manager of the pony
express company.
Jack, however, did not altogether share this view.
It was about a week after this that, as Jack reached the Mansion Hotel one
morning to receive the mail, he was approached by Mr. Argent, who had a
number of red-sealed letters in his hand.
"This time I'm really going to let you take them, Jack," he said. "My
friend Wayde thinks it's all right to forward them to their destination
now."
"Are they as important as ever?" asked Jack, with a smile.
"Yes, and more so, Jack. I'll just give you a hint," the miner said, in a
low voice. "Wayde and I have discovered a secret mine, and if things go
right it may mean a big thing for us."
"A secret mine?" questioned the young pony express rider.
"Yes. It was one located by a prospector some years ago, but he died after
he came into town with some mighty rich nuggets. He gave the location of
the mine to a friend, but the latter lost the papers and never could find
the claim. Lately a relative discovered the documents in an old coat
pocket, and sent them to me, suggesting that we work the claim on shares.
"I went into it with Wayde, and we've found the mine. It's rich, too, and
it isn't far from here. But there are certain legal forms to comply with
before we can actually begin work, and these letters refer to those
matters. The reason Wayde didn't want to send them the other time was
because he feared a counter legal move on the part of some men who are
trying to locate the mine and get it away from those entitled to it But now
matters are about straightened out, and I'm going to send off these letters
by you. I'll expect answers back soon, and when they come--"
Mr. Argent paused suddenly, for a sound came from around the corner of the
porch where he and Jack had been standing during their talk. The miner
suddenly turned the corner of the hotel, with Jack following. They saw a
man walking rapidly away along the other part of the porch.
CHAPTER VII
THE STRANGERS AGAIN
"Was he listening?" asked Jack of the miner.
"It rather looks so," was the answer. "I thought I heard some one moving
about there as I was talking to you, and I wanted to make sure."
"Well, you did all right," replied Jack, grimly. "Do you know who he is?"
"No, but--"
"Say! Wait a minute!" suddenly exclaimed Jack. He had but a glimpse of the
man's back, but there seemed to be something familiar about the manner in
which the man walked off. Like a flash it came to Jack.
"I think I know him--at least I've seen him before," he said hurriedly to
Mr. Argent. "I'm going to find out for sure."
In a flash Jack had sprung over the porch railing, and was rapidly running
alongside the porch on the soft grass. He did this in order to get ahead of
the retreating man. Had he remained on the porch Jack's footfalls on the
boards would have given the alarm.
As it was, he was able to get ahead of the eavesdropper, and obtain a view
of his face. And Jack was not mistaken in his surmise. It was one of the
two men who had annoyed Jennie in the post office. The fellow seemed
startled on confronting our hero.
"So you're here now, eh?" asked Jack.
"Well, is that any of your business?" was the challenge. "Isn't this a free
country?"
"Of course," Jack answered. "But even in a free country there are certain
laws about causing trouble, and listening to private talk."
"Who was listening?" demanded the fellow.
"You were!" Jack exclaimed.
At that moment Mr. Argent came sauntering along the piazza. The fellow
turned sharply. Neither appeared to recognize the other.
"This chap is the same one I thought he was," explained Jack, "It was he
and a partner of his who made the fuss in the Golden Crossing office, Mr.
Argent. If you could find Mr. Perkfeld we might make a charge against him."
The man seemed disconcerted at this.
"Charge? What charge?" he blustered.
"You'll find out soon enough," Jack replied.
He started off, thinking Mr. Argent would keep the man there until Mr.
Perkfeld could be summoned. But the fellow made a sudden dash, leaped to
the saddle of a horse that was near the end of the porch, and was off down
the road on a gallop.
As he rode off he was joined by another man, who also made a hurried exit
from the hotel and leaped to the back of his horse. But he was not so quick
but what Jack recognized him as the other man who had annoyed the young
postmistress of Golden Crossing.
"Well, they got away!" Jack said, regretfully, as he came back to Mr.
Argent.
"Perhaps it's just as well," answered the miner. "I don't know that you
could have really held them on the charge of being impudent and rough to
Miss Blake, and you tell me that is all they did."
"Yes, that's so. But what about one of them listening to what you were
telling me about the secret mine."
"Oh, bless you, that doesn't worry me!" said Mr. Argent, with a laugh.
"I'll defy anybody to find that mine without the proper directions, and I
don't intend to tell even you those, Jack--at least not yet. I really
didn't let out any information of any account, and what that chap
overheard, if he heard anything, won't do him any good. I'm not worrying,
but, of course, I don't like to have strangers sneak up and listen to what
I say. But no great harm has been done."
"I'm glad of it. And perhaps it's just as well we didn't have them
arrested. It would make it unpleasant for Jennie to be brought into court."
"That's right, Jack. Well, the fellows got away, so we won't worry about
them. Now take these letters, and I needn't tell you to be careful of
them."
"I sure will look out for them," Jack promised, earnestly.
"And just mention them to your cousin at the other end of the line," went
on the miner. "Have her use a little extra care."
"I'll tell her," promised Jack.
"Another matter," went on the miner, and this time he lowered his voice to
a whisper as if afraid of being overheard. "These letters aren't so
important as their answers will be."
"What do you mean?" asked Jack.
"I mean that we expect some legal documents by mail, after these letters
have reached those for whom they are intended," answered the miner. "The
replies will be very important, and I wouldn't want them to fall into the
hands of those who are trying to get the property away from us.
"So if you'll just mention to your cousin to bear in mind when any letters
like these come for me that they're important, and if you'll remember that
yourself, Jack, why, we'll be much obliged to you."
"I sure will be on the watch," promised Jack. "They'll be registered, of
course."
"Oh sure! But I don't imagine anything will happen to them. For no one can
know exactly when they will come. Only be on the watch for them."
"I certainly will! Now if you'll give me those I'll put them in a safe
place."
Mr. Argent handed over the missives, and Jack put them in his inside
pocket, and then used a safety pin to close the opening.
"Safety first!" he exclaimed with a laugh.
"That's right," assented the miner.
As Jack rode off on the back of his pony, which was becoming quite famous
because of his speed and the regularity with which he made the trips, the
young express rider thought of the two strangers who had suddenly
reappeared after having annoyed Jennie.
"I just wonder who they are, and what their game is," he reflected. "After
all, maybe it would have been a good thing if we had caught them. I guess
Jennie would be game enough to go to court and testify. But I don't know on
just what charge we could have held them."
"Anyhow, we haven't got 'em, so perhaps it's all for the best. But I sure
will be on the watch for them again. And I'll have to be on the lookout for
the replies to these letters. Well, it's all in the game," Jack reflected.
"Dad probably has gone through the same, and worse, maybe, and he never
backed down. I've got to keep up his reputation, if I'm doing his work. It
would be fine, too, if I could find some way of proving that he wasn't at
fault in that Harrington matter. But I suppose that's too much to expect."
Thus reflecting, Jack rode on.
CHAPTER VIII
A NIGHT ATTACK
Naturally, after the little experience of the morning, having received the
sealed letters, and having again seen the two men who had acted so roughly
toward Jennie, Jack was a little apprehensive as he rode along the trail
toward Golden Crossing. There were several places very favorable for
holding up a stage coach, had one used the mountain road, but, as has been
said, the route was too difficult for a vehicle to traverse.
"Though they might hold me up, more easily than they could a coach if they
wanted to," reflected Jack. Consequently he approached all suspicious
places with more than his usual caution.
But as he covered mile after mile and nothing happened, he became easier in
his mind.
"I guess they aren't going to have a try for us, after all, Sunger," he
said to his faithful pony. The plucky creature whinnied in answer, as Jack
patted his neck.
"It wouldn't do 'em much good to make us stand and deliver," mused the
young express rider. "For Mr. Argent said these letters weren't of prime
importance. Still, I wouldn't like to have them taken away from me, or lose
them, and get a bad reputation in this business. I don't want to lose my
job just now, when dad is laid up."
Jack had feared that the two strangers who had fled in such a hurry from
the hotel in Rainbow Ridge, might at least try to annoy him on the road, as
they had taken the trail leading up the mountain to Golden Crossing.
But nothing like this happened, and in due time Jack arrived at the other
post office and was greeted by Jennie. Jack gave Jennie the message about
Mr. Argent's letters, but said nothing to her about having again seen the
two men who had annoyed her.
"It would only worry her," he reflected, "and she has worries enough
without my adding to them."
Jack remained that night in Golden Crossing, spending a pleasant evening
with Aunt Matilda and Jennie. He was off early the next morning for the
ride to Rainbow Ridge. Having delivered the mail, and before going to see
his father, Jack made some inquiries around the Mansion Hotel about the two
strangers who had left so suddenly.
No one knew much about them, except that they had ridden in early the
previous morning, and had eaten a hasty breakfast It had been observed that
they kept well to themselves, and conversed in low tones.
Then had come the episode of the listening on the part of one, and the
flight of both of them. That was really all Jack could learn.
"And as long as you didn't see anything of them on the road," said Mr.
Argent, "I guess you needn't worry. You got my letters off all right?"
"Oh yes."
"Well, now the next thing will be the replies. Watch out for them."
And Jack said he would.
The young pony express rider had a few hours' spare time that day, and he
spent them with his father. Mr. Bailey was discouraged at the progress he
was making.
"I don't seem to get at all better, Jack," he complained.
"Well, Dad, it takes time, Dr. Brown says," his son observed.
"I know. But it seems as if I ought to get stronger. I want to be back at
work."
"Oh, don't worry about that, Dad! I'm on the job, you know. I may not be
doing as well as you, but I'm taking the mail and express stuff back and
forth, and I haven't heard any complaints yet"
"Then you haven't lost anything, Jack, and nothing has been taken from
you?"
"No, Dad. Not a thing."
"And the contents of no important letters have leaked out?"
"Not yet. But I know what you're thinking of, Dad. It's about that
Harrington letter."
"Yes, Jack, I am. I wish I could prove that it wasn't my fault."
"Don't worry, Dad! Your friends know it wasn't your fault, and some day we
may be able to prove to your enemies that it wasn't."
"I hope so, Jack, but I've about given up," was the weary answer.
Jack had carefully kept from his father all the little worries that had
occurred since the change in the pony express business had been made. He
had said nothing about the misplaced planks of the bridge, nor about the
two strangers.
"What's the use of worrying dad?" reflected our hero. "He has troubles
enough of his own. I'll keep mine to myself."
That afternoon, late, as Jack was waiting at the Golden Crossing post
office for the mail, a messenger rode in to say that the stage would be
delayed because of a slight accident.
"But the driver wants you to wait," the messenger told Jack, "as there are
some important letters to go to Rainbow Ridge, and be forwarded from there
on."
"All right, I'll wait," promised Jack.
"It will mean a night ride," suggested Jennie.
"I know it, but it can't be helped. It's part of the game. I'm not afraid."
But when Jack helped Jennie sort the mail a little later, and found among
the letters and parcels some large envelopes addressed to Mr. Argent and
sealed with red wax, a strange feeling came over him.
"Here are those answers," he thought. "These must be the important papers
about the secret mine. And I've got to carry them through on a night ride.
Well, I wish they hadn't come just at this time, but there's no help for
it. I've got to take them through."
He paused for a moment, with the important letters in his hand.
"What are those?" asked Jennie.
"Oh just some stuff for our town," Jack answered, indifferently.
In a flash he had made up his mind not to tell his cousin of the value and
importance of the mail that night. She would worry if she knew what he was
carrying along the trail after dark.
And Jack had another plan. He realized that the enemies, or business rivals
of Mr. Argent, (call them what you will) might know of the arrival of the
documents.
"They may try to get them away from me," reflected Jack. "Now, I've' read
somewhere that the best way to throw off suspicion is to make something
important look unimportant. That's what I'm going to do."
There were a number of newspapers in the mail. While Jennie was out of the
room a moment Jack opened one bundle of papers, folded the red-sealed
letters up in one of the papers, put back the wrapper and tossed the
package into the pouch he would carry over his saddle.
"There!" he thought. "That doesn't look like anything of value. If I am
held up, the thieves will throw away the newspapers anyhow, and I can get
them later. I think that's a pretty good scheme, myself."
An hour later Jack was on his way along the mountain trail. It was quite
dark, for there was no moon. But Jack laughed and sang as he parted from
Jennie. He pretended that his heart was light, though, truth to tell, he
was a bit apprehensive.
"Maybe those fellows don't know that the letters have arrived, and, if they
do, my newspaper stunt will fool 'em," he decided.
It was near the bridge where once he had so nearly had a serious accident
that, as Jack was riding along, he heard a sudden command:
"Halt!"
"Go on, Sunger! Go on!" yelled Jack in his pony's ear, as he slapped the
animal on the flank. Then Jack felt himself suddenly attacked, as some one
rode up alongside him, and dealt him a blow on the head.
CHAPTER IX
IN BONDS
For a moment Jack was so overcome by dizziness and a faint, sick feeling,
that he could do nothing. Everything seemed black before his eyes, a
blackness not of night, but the blackness of a fainting fit.
The young express rider reeled in his saddle, but he kept his seat by a
great effort. Then he fought back the growing faintness that was overcoming
him.
"I mustn't give in! I mustn't give in!" he told himself fiercely, over and
over again. "I mustn't give way! I won't! I've got to protect the valuable
letters--the mail--the express."
Then, somehow, Jack's head cleared. He felt more able to hold himself back
from that terrible black void. He straightened up in the saddle, and his
vision was again normal.
In the darkness he could see several men, three at least, standing around
him. These three were not mounted, though off to one side of the trail Jack
could see several dark forms which he could make out to be horses. Then he
saw, as he turned in his saddle, a man behind him on a big horse. This man
held something in his hand, and Jack guessed it was this individual who had
struck him. All four of the men wore masks.
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