COURIERS WITH NEWS,
everything being arranged to mass a great number of men at any point from which tidings of the bandits should be received. Shortly after midnight startling news was brought in, and it transpired that the wily bandits had again selected the weakest place in the line, and succeeded in passing a stupid crowd of sleepy pickets.
[pg 41]
A NEW DEPARTURE.
ANOTHER ESCAPE.
It appears that at a crossing over a small creek on the outskirts of Lake Crystal, ten guards had been placed. Nine of them had procured hay and ensconced themselves in the bushes to enjoy a quiet sleep. A young man named Richard Roberts, of Mankato, alone was faithful to his trust, and while the others slept he kept his ceaseless vigil. The night was pitchy dark, but the brave boy had become accustomed to it, and his ear was rendered wonderfully acute. At about midnight he thought he heard the sound of horse's hoofs on the deep sand of the road, and he got a position where if any one passed he could read the outlines against the sky. Soon a horse appeared bearing two riders.
Stepping from his bush he cried “halt,” when the two men slid over to the further side of the horse. Dick then raised his rifle, and as the bandits undertook to rush their horse past him, he fired. The animal gave a start, throwing his riders, and ran rapidly away.
The two men must have been hit in the legs, but they were not disabled, for they immediately gained their feet and dashed into a cornfield near by, where their trail was lost until morning. In falling they made deep indentions in the sand, and one lost his hat, which was of fine make and nearly new. Before young Roberts had time to start in pursuit, the frightened horse again dashed by him in hot haste to his home about two miles back. Early in the morning of Friday a farmer named John Vincent came into town, and reported that one of his horses had been used by the robbers during the night.