a daughter of one of the stock-tenders had volunteered for
it, and the company, knowing her ability as a rider, accepted her
services until another could be found.

The first night on the run she arrived at the other end on time, though
she reported that she had been halted by the Cavalier and four of his
men.

The road-agent seemed greatly surprised that a woman, in fact a young
and very pretty girl, should be riding the road, but she made known the
circumstances, and he told her she should always go through unmolested
by him and his men.

But he made the mails, carried by the other riders, and the stage-coach
passengers, suffer for his leniency to the Girl Rider, and the
Government and both the express and stage companies offered a large
reward for the capture of himself and men alive.

This seemed to do no good, although a number of attempts were made to
capture him, which signally failed, and the reward was increased and
added "dead or alive."

All this time the Girl Rider often met the Cavalier in her rides, and
when the moonlight nights came on, he would often, as she was flying
along, dash out from some thicket, and ride with her ten or fifteen
miles.

The more he saw of her the more he seemed to admire her, and his times
of joining her increased, and he seemed to so enjoy his rides with her,
that he would, when she went into a station to change horses, make a
circuit around it, and joining her beyond, continue on for another dozen
miles, for he rode a fleet steed, and one of great bottom.

One night as they thus sped along he told the Girl Pony Rider that he
had learned to love her, tho' he had never seen her face in the
daylight, and that he had accumulated a large sum, for he had a treasure
hiding-place in the mountains, and, if she only would love him in return
and fly with him, he would be the happiest of men, and give up his evil
life.

The maiden promised to think of it, said it was so sudden and
unexpected, that she had never loved before, and did not even then know
her own heart, and with this she dashed on her way like the wind.

The next night the Cavalier again met her, and again renewed his vows of
love, and she told him she had thought of it, and would stand by him
until death parted them.

The Cavalier went into ecstasies over this, and an evening was appointed
when they should leave the country together, which was a night on which
the Girl Rider knew she was to carry quite a sum of mo