Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1872-11-07
The ladies came down handsomely, snd

The ladies came down handsomely, snd
were no further molested.
One by one the rest got out. The mid
dle.aged gentleman's turn came first. He
submitted, with winning grace, and wa;
robbed liked very Chesterfield.
Ny own affairs, like the sum I lost, are
scarcely worth mentioning.
The Quaker's turn came next. lie
quietly handed over his pocketbook and
watch, and when asked if he had any
other valuables, said "Nay."
A Quaker's word is good, even among
thieves; so after hasty 'good night" the
robber thrust his pistol into his pocke,
and, with his two companions, one ot
whom had the reins of the leaders, w:lt
about starting.
"Stop!" exclaimed the Quah in O
tone more of command than of reql t.
"stop! What forI" returned the other;
in evident surprise.
"For at least two reasons" was ther
ply, emphasized with couple of Derrin'
gers cooked and presented.
"Help!" shouted the robber.
"Stop" the Quaker exclaimed. "And
if any one of your sinful companions ad.
vance a step to thy relief, the spirit will
surely move me to blow thy brains out D
The robber at the opposite window and
the one at the leaders head thought it 8
good time to leave.
"Now, get in friend" said the Quaker,
still covering his man, "and take the
middle seat, but first deliver up thy pis.
tol." The other hesitated.
"Thee had better not delay, l feel the
spirit move in my forefnger."
The robber did as he was directed, and
the Quaker took his place by his side,
giving the new conner the middle seat.
The driver, who was frightened out OF
his wits, now set forward at rapid rate
The lively gentleman soon recovered his
vivacity. He was especially facetious on
the Quaker's prowess. "1ou're rum
Quaker, you are. Why, you don't quake
worth q cent.
"I'm not a Shaking Quaker, if that's
what thee means"
"Of the Hickory or rather the Old
Hickory's stripe should say" retorted
the lively man. But the Quaker relapsing
into his usual monosyllables the converse
ton tagged.
Sooner than we expected the coach
stoyped where we were to have supper
and change of horses. We had deferred
redistribution of our effects until we
should reach the place, as the dim light
of the coach lamp would have rendered
the process somewhat difficult.
1t was now necessary, however, that it
should be attended to at once, as our
iovial companion had previously an.
nounced his intention of leaving us at that
point. He proposed postponement until
after supper, which he offered to 60 and
order.
"Nay," urged the Quaker, with an ap-
proach to abruptness, and laying his hand
on the others arm, business before
pleasure, and for business there is no time
like the present"
"Will thee be good enough to search
the prisoner" he said to the men, still
keeping his hand, in friendly way, upon
the passengers arm.
l did so, but not one of the stolen arti-
cles could be found.
"He must have got rid of them in the
COACH" the gay gentleman suggested, and
Immediately offered to go in search:
"Stop!" thundered the Quaker, tight,
enlng his grasp.
The man turned pale and struggled to
release his arm. In an Instant one Of the
Derringers was levelled at his heart.
"Stir hand or foot and you are dead
mann
The Quaker must have been awtully
excited so completely to forget both the
language and principles of his persuasion.
Placing the other pistol in my hand
with directions to fire at either of the two
men that made a suspicious movement, he
went to work on the Lothario, from whose
pocket, in less time than it takes to tell it,
produced every item of the missing prop
erty to the utter amaZement of the two
ladies, who had begun in no measured
terms to demonstrate against the shame
full treatment the gentleman was receiv-
ing.
The Quaker, I need scarcely add, was
no Quaker at all, but shrewd detective,
who had been set on the track of band
of desperadoes, of whom our middle-agod
didn't look so middle-aged
when his wig was off-was the chief.
The robbery had been adroitly planned.
The leader of the gang had taken passage
in the coach, and after learning, as he
our defenceless condition, had
given the signal to his companions by
throwing out the scrap of paper already
After the unexpected capture
of the first robber, it was attempted to
save the booty by secretly passing it t''
the accomplice, still believed to be unsu 5.
pected, who counted on being able tc
make off at the next stopping place.
The result was that both, for sea ,on
" did the State some service"
4 REMARKABLE RlvER.-TLe a'tte, i,