Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1874-04-10
BOHEMIAN, MONTANA TERRITORY. FRIDAY APRIL TO- 1874

RIDAY, APRIL 10.
g receipts, "taint much of a haul; b,
+ there's only one woman, an she's ol
enough to be q feller's grandmothe
Better let her alone, eh ~"
Like enough she'll pan out mol
l than all the rest of the stage pitt t.
gether," growled Cranks, CAREFUL
: testing the thickness of the case of
gold watch. "Jest like the lOw-live
deceittulness of some. folks, to hire a
old woman to kerry their money SO
would 60 safe. Mabbe what she gC
haint nQthin, to some folks round her
that ken win 'cm money at races, but
The Colonel abruptly ended the cor
yersation, and approached the stage
The Colonel was very chivalrous, bu
Crank,s sarcastic reference to Tipsi
needed avenging, and as he could no
consistently with business arrange
ments put an end to Cranks, the Ok
lady would have to suffer.
II beg yer parling, ma'am,r sait
the Colonel, raising his hat politel,
with one hand while he very circum
specify opened the coach door will
other, "but we're takin' up collection
fur some deservin object. We wa.
a-going to make the gentlemen forl
over the whole amount, but ez they
hain't got enough, wen hey to bother
your
The old lady trembled, felt for he1
pocket book, and raised her veil. The
Colonel looked into her face, slammed
the stage door and, sitting down on
the hub Of the wheel, stared vacantly
"Nothin ~ qdsried Perkins, in a
whisper, and with face of genuine
sympathy. -.
:" -yes,n said the Colonel dream.
lily. sThat is, unite, 'em, and let the
stage 60 ahead" he continued, spring.
ing to his feet. III hurry back to the
cabin" And the Colonel dashed into
the bushes, and left his foll0w9fs SO
paralyzed with astonishment that Old
Black afteyW2rds remarked that !" If
ther'd IL fbody to hold his hosses
he would szl1ve cleaned out the hull
crowd with his whip" =.
The passengers now relieved of their
weapons, were unbound and allowed
to re-enter the stage, and the door was
slammed, upon which old Black picked
up the reins as coolly as he had laid
them down at the station while his
horses were being changed; then he
cracked his whip and the stage rolled
of, while the Colonel's party fastened
back to their hut, f0ndly inspecting as
they went certain TASKS they had OBJ
tanned while transacting their business
with the occupants of the stage.
Great was the surprise of the road
agents when they entered their hut,
for there stood the Colonel in a clean
white shirt, and in a suit of clothing
made up from the limited spare ward
robes of the other members of the
gang. ae5rI
But the suspicious Cranks speedily
subordinated his wonder to his pru-
dence, as, laying on the table watch,
two pistols, q pocket book and a heavy
purse, he exclaimed: -a
"Come, Colonel, biziness before
pleasure; let's divide, and scatter. Ef
should hear about it, and
find our trail, and ketch us with the
traps in our possession, they might
"Divide yerselves!" said the Col
onel, with abruptness and with a great
oath. ~ don't want none of it,
"C0l0nel," said Perkins, removing
his own domino and looking anxiously
into the leaders, face, s.be you sick
Heres some bully brandy 1 found in
one of the passengers pockets"
III hain't nothin," replied the Colo
mel, with averted eyes. "I'm goin, and
I'm yetirin' from this bizness forever
"Ain't a-going to turn evidence =
cried Cranks, grasping the pistol on
table. - 1vss
"Im going to make q lead mine of |
you ef you don't take that back
roared the Colonel with a bound, which |
caused Cranks to drop the pistol and
letire precipitately forward, apologiz-
ng as he went. "I'm going to tend
3 my own biziness, and that's enough |
10 keep any man bizzy. Somebody
end 90 till see him ag'in."
Perkins pressed the money into the
Joloneps hand, and within two min
ltes the Colonel wasE6n Tibsie's back
md galloping on in the direction the1
Jtage had t. zen. .,..e 56
He overlook It passed it, and still
le gall0l)ed on. ...-...--......-,---.z&
The people at Mud Gulch knew the
Colonel well, and made it q rule never
o be ast0nished at anything he did;
,ut they made an exception to this
ule when the Colonel canvassed the
principal bar-rooms for men who wish
d to purchase q horse and when q
,ambler who was flush obtained Tipsie
i. n.exchange for twenty slngs- only 3
housand dollars, when the Colonel
lad always said that there wasn't gold |
n0ugh on the top. of the ground to
my her-Mud Gulch experienced q
eCllod sensation.
One or two enterprising persons
peedlly discovered that the Colonel
roo not in q communicative mood, 90
very one retired to his fav0rite saloon
nd bet according to.his own opinion
t the C0l0nels motives and actions.
Rut when the Glnlns1al atfn, ro,naim.l