leaden messengers flying about them.

The rapid fire caused the road-agents to believe that there was a coach
full of soldiers, that a trap was prepared for them, and ere they could
rally and their leader could convince them that it was not so, the coach
had gone by the Dead Line and was going along the pass at the full speed
of its horses, the reins now in the hands of old Huck once more.

The passengers all saw the panic-stricken road-agents, half a dozen in
number, and, encouraged by the boldness of old Huck, kept up a hot fire,
which they felt confident had not been thrown away.

When pursuit was no longer feared, old Huck drew his team down to a
trot, and, leaning over, called out:

"We done 'em up thet time, pards."

The passengers cheered the old driver, and when he drew rein at the
hotel in Last Chance they quickly made known his act of heroism, for,
throwing the reins upon the backs of his horses, he had gotten down from
the box, reported the safe arrival of the coach to Landlord Larry, and
gone in to his supper.

When the story was told, of how bravely he had run the gantlet, Landlord
Larry went in to have a talk with him, but found that he had finished
his supper and gone.

It was a cold evening, and there was snow flying, so, looking over to
the hill where the little shanty of old Huck was located, Landlord Larry
saw a bright fire burning and at once went there.

There sat old Huck enjoying his pipe and warming his feet before the
fire in the clay chimney he had built.

He had a canvas covering the doorway, to keep out the cold and snow, and
seemed as contented as could be in his lone quarters.

"Well old man, you seem happy," he said.

"Why not?"

"You brought in a valuable freight to-night, in money and registered
letters."

"I know it."

"Do you know how much?"

"Ther agent at W---- told me he thought about forty thousand, and so I
made a rush, ter git through."

"And did it grandly."

"That's what I'm paid fer."

"I have heard the story of your running the gantlet and surprising the
road-agents."

Old Huck laughed and replied:

"Waal, I calkilate as how they was astonished. You see I seen the tracks
on the trail, foot-tracks, and fresh ones, goin' on toward the Dead
Line, and so I kinder felt sart'in o' a hold-up. When I come to ther
pass I seen ther top o' a small tree wavin' and knowed somebody were up
in it looking over t'other trees.

"So I jist up with old drop-'em, and