Omaha daily bee., 1874-04-16
AT don,t want 70 diSn,,ta Joorol-

time, hadn't We better vamOSe?"'
The door of the shanty was hasti
ly closed and the men filed through
the thicket, until near the road
when they marched rapidly on il
parallel lines with it. After abou
half an hour, Perkins, who wa:
leading, halted, and wiped his per
spring brow with his shirt sleeve.
"Fur enough from home now
said he. "Taint no use bein' a gen.
tlemsn eff yer have to work toe
hard"
"Safe enough, I reckon" replied
the Colonel. DWELL do the usual;
I'll halt 'em. Logroller tend to the
driver, Crank take the boot, an
Mack an Perk takes right and left.
AM know it's tough-but consid-
erin how everlastin', eternally hard
up We are. l reckon We'll have to
ask contributions from the ladies,
too, ifther's any aboard-eh, boys?!"
"Reckon So" replied LogrOller,
with a chuckle that seemed
to inspire even his black domino
with a merry twinkle or two.
whats the use ov wOmen's rights
eff they don't ever have a chance ov
eXercisin' EN-? Hevin' their purses
borrowed 'ud show EN- the hull doc
trine in a bran new light"
"They're treacherOus critters,
women is" remarked Cranks;
'some of sm might put a knife into
a Teller while he WIZ 'pOlogizin'."
OFF you're afeared Ov en-" said
Perkins, "yOu ken go back an clear
up the shanty."
"Reminds me ov what the Bible
ser" said Logroller; "ther's a lion
on the trail; I'll be chewed up, seq
the lazy galoot, or words to that eff
fect.u
"COme, come, boys" interposed
Colonel, "don't mix religion an biz
ness. They don't mix no more than
Hello, thar's the crack of old
Blacks whip! Pick your bushes
quick! All jump when I whistler.
Each man secreted himself near
the roadside. The stage came
swinging along handsomely; those
inside were laughing heartily about
something, and Old Black was Just
giving a delicate touch to the flank
of the off leader, when the Colonel
gave a shrill, quick whistle, and five
men sprang into the road.
The horses stopped as suddenly as
if it were a matter Of common oc-
currence. Old Black dropped the
reins, crossed his legs and stared
into the sky, and the passengers all
put out their heads with a rapidity
squaled only by that with which
they withdrew them, as they saw
the dOminOes and revolvers Of the
road agents.
"Seems to be something the mat
ter, gentlemen" said the Colonel,
blandly; as he opened the door.
"Won't you please get out? Don't
trouble yourself to draw, eos my
friend here's got his weapon cooked,
an his fingers is rather nervous.
Amt got a handkerchief, hev yer ?"
asked he of the first passenger who
descended from the stage. "Hey?
Well, now that's lucky. Just put
yer hands behind you, please-sO-
it. And the unfortunate
man was securely bound in an in
The remaining passengers were
with similar courtesy, and
he Colonel and his friends exam
ned the pockets of the captives.
Did Black remained unmOlested, for
who yer heard of a stage driver
money?
"Boys," said the Colonel, calling
lis brother agents aside, and COM
receipts, "'tain't much of a
laul but there's one woman, an
old enough to be a feller's
grandmother. Better let her alone,
Like enough she'll pan out
nOre'n all the rest of the stage put
ogether." grOwled Cranks, care
ully testing the thickness of the
.ase of a gold watch. "Jest like
he low-lived deceitfulness Of some
olks, to hire an old woman to carry
heir money, so it'd go safer. Mabbe
What she's got amt nothin' to some
thet's got bosses that kin
win 'em money at races, but"
The Colonel abruptly ended the
conversation, and approaced the
He was very chivalrous, but
ranks sarcastic reference to Tipsie
needed avenging, and as he could
lot consistently with business ar
'angements put an end to Cranks,
he old lady would have to suffer.
~ beg your parding, ma'am,"
aid the Colonel, raising his hat
with one hand while he
the coach-dOor with the
,ther, 'but we're taking up a oollec-
ion for some deserving object. We
WIZ a goin to make the gentlemen
'ork over the hull amount, but, ez
hey hain't got enough, and we'll
lev to bother you."
The old lady trembled, felt for
1er pocket-book, and raised her
1sil. The Colonel looked into her
ACE, slammed the stage-door, and
down on the hub Of one of
.he wheels, stared vacantly into
space.