The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1874-04-24
it," And the unfortunate man was Sc


curely bound in an instant.
The remaining passengers were treat
ed with similar courtesy, and the Colonel
and his friends examined the pockets
of the captives. Old Black remained
unmolested, for who ever heard OF a
stage-driver having money?
Boys" said the Colonel, calling his
brother agents aside, and comparing
receipts, "'taint much of haul but
there's one woman, an she's old enough
to be feller's grandmother. Better
let her alone, ell 2"
Like enough she'll pan out more
than all the rest of hostage put togeth-
err" growled cranks, carefully testing
the thickness of the case OF gold
watch. "Jest like the low-lived de-
ceitfulness of some folks, to hire an old
woman to carry their money, so it'd go
safer. Mabbe what she has got amt
nothing to some folks thet's got bosses
that kin win 'em money at races,
but"
The Colonel abruptly ended the con-
versation, and approached the stage.
He was very chivalrous, but Crank s
sarcastic reference to Tipsie needed
avenging, and as he could not consist
emily with business arrangements put
an end to Cranks, the old lady would
have to suffer.
Ct beg your parding, ma'am," said
the Colonel, raising his hat politely
with one hand while he opened the coach
door with the other, "but we're taking
up collection fur some deserving OBJ
iect. We wuz a.goin' to make the gen
tlemen fork over the hull amount, but
ez they haint got enough, we will hev
to bother YOU"
The old lady trembled, felt for her
pocket-book, and raised her veil. The
Colonel looked up into her face, slam
med the door, and sitting down on the
hub of one of the wheels, stared va
cantly into space.
Nothing?" queried Perkins in q
whisper, and with face full OF genuine
sympathy.
No-yes," said the Colonel dreami-
ly. "That is, unite 'em, and let the
stage go ahead" he continued, spring
ing to his feet "I'll hurry back to the
cabin" And the Colonel dashed into
the bushes and left his followers SO par
alyzed with establishment that Old
Black afterward remarked that "ef
ther'd been anybody to hold the bosses
he could hev cleaned the hull crowd
with his whip"
"The passengers, now relieved OF
their weapons, were unbound, allowed
to enter the stage and the back door
was slammed, upon which Old Black
picked up his reins as coolly as if he
had laid them down at station while
horses were being changed, then he
cracked his whip and the stage rolled
off, while the Colonels party FASTENED
back to their hut, fondly inspecting
as they went certain TASKS they had
obtained while transacting their busi-
ness with the occupants of the stage.
Great was the surprise of the road
agents as they entered their hut, for
there stood the Colonel in n clean
white shirt and in suit of clothing
made up from the limited spare ward
robes of the other members of the
gang.
But the suspicious Cranks speedily
subordinated his wonder to his pru-
dence, as, laying on the table a watch,
two pistols, pocket-book and a heavy
purse, he exclaimed:
Come, Colonel, bizness before
pleasure let's divide an scatter. Eff
anybody should hear bout it, an find
our trail, an ketch the traps in our
possession, they might"
Divide yourselves !" replied the
Colonel, with abruptness and a great
oath. 81 don't want none of it.
gGCo1ona1 ooi1 Dorlr;no ra,,ntyi N IN
his own domino and looking anxious
ly into the leaders face, " be you
sick? Here's some bully brandy !
found in one of the passengers peck
cts.
Ct hain't nothin'," replied the Colo
mel with averted eyes. I'm goin', and
I'm retirin' from this bless forever. "
Amt a-going to turn evidence p
cried Cranks, grasping the pistol on the
table.
"I'm a-goin to make lead-mine of
you eff you don't take that back p
roared the Colonel, with a bound,
which caused Cranks to drop the pis-
tol and retire precipitately forward,
apologizing as he went. I'm goin
to tend to my own bizness, an that's
W hCtD ulun DilAl .
Somebody lend me $50 till L see him
agin.
Perkins pressed the money into the
Colonels hand, and within two minutes
the Colonel was on Tipsies back, and
galloped on in the direction the stage
had taken.
He overlook it, he passed it, and still
he galloped on.
The people at Mud Gulch knew the
Colonel well, and made it rule never
to be astonished Mt anything he did
but they made an exception to the rul,
when the Colonel canvassed the princi
pal bar rooms for men who wished t.
purchase horse and when gambler
who was flush obtained Tipsie in ex
change for twenty slugs-only thou
sand dollars-when the Colonel had al
ways said that there wasn't golC
enough on the top of the ground to bu,
her-Mud Gulch experienced a decided
sensation.
One or two enterprising persons
speedily discovered that the Colone
was not in communicative mood
so everyone retired to his favorit
saloon and bet according to his owl
opinions of the Colonel's motives an,
actions.
But when the Colonel, after remain
ing in barber-shop for half AM hour
-