Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1878-08-02


hound IN an instant.
The remaining passengers were treat
ed with like courtesy, AMI the colonel
and his friends examined thepockets If
the captivcs. Old Blaol remained nm.
molosted, for whoever heard of stage
driver having moneys
Boys, sand the colonel, calling his
brother agents aside and comparing re-
ccipts 'taln't mucn 81 4 haul: bat
there's only one woman an she's old
enough 10 be n fcller's grandmother,
Better let her alone, ell?
Like enough she'll pan out more'n
all the rest of the stage put together.
growed Cranks, carefully testing the
thickness Of the case Of gold watch.
=" Jest like the low. lived dcccitfulness Of
some folks to hire an oldwoman to car
ry their money, SO it'd 50 safer. Mcbbc
what she's otain't nothin' to somC folks
thet's got hoSses, thet kin win en- mon
eY ut races but
The colonel abruptly ended the CON
versation and approached the stage.
He was very chivaIrous hut Crank )
sarcastic reference to Tipsic needed
tently with business arrangements put
an end to Cranks. the o.d lady would
have to suffer
l beg your pardm, 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 oh
jcct. We WIZ agoin to make the gen
tlemcn fork over the hull amount, 5ut
hez they hain't got enough, we will hev
to bother vou
The old lady tremhlcd, felt for her
pocket-book, raised her veil. The col
onel looked into her face, slammed the
stage door, and sitting on the hub Of
one of the wheels, stared vaeantly into
space.
" Nothin''? quoried Perkins in II
whisper, and with II face full Of genu-
inc sympathy.
" No--yes,' said the colonel, dream
ily That is, unite EN- and let the
stage so ahead he continued, spriuging
to hls feet. I'll hurry back to the
cabin.
Ana the colonel dashed into the
bushes and left his followers SO para
lived with astonishment that Old
Black afterwards remarked that "cf
there.d heon anybody to tho hosscs ho
could hnve cleaned the hull crowd with
his whip"
The passengers, now relieved OF their
weapons, We're unbound, allowed to
enter the stage, and the door was
slammed; upon which Old Black pick
ed up his reins aS coolly rs if he had
lain them down at station while the
horses were being changed; then he
cracked his whip and the stage rolled
of, while the colonel's psrty FASTENED
back to their hut, fondly inspecting rs
,hey went certain TASKS they had ob.
tanned while transactlng heir business
with the occupants of the stage.
Great was the surprise Of the road
agents rs they entered their hut, for
there stood the colonel in clean white
shirt, and in u suit Of clothing made
from the limited spare wrdrobcs Of the
other members OF the gang.
But the suspicious Canks speedily
subordinatcd His wonder 10 his pru-
dence rs, laying on the table a watch,
two pistols, u pocket-boo< and y heavy
purse, he exclaimed:
Come, Colonel, business before plea
sure; lets divide an scatter. Et amy
body should hear about L an find Our
trail, an ketch the traps in our posses
sion, they might"
divide yersclvcs = sud the colonel,
with abruptness and great oath -
don't want none Of il"
Colonel, said Perkins, removing
his own domino, and looting anXously
into the leaders face, "bc you sick
Here's some bully bmndy which |
found il one of the passenger peck
cts.
- hain't nothin',' replied the col
onel with ayerted eyes. I'm goin',
and I'm retirin' from this business
forever"
Ant a-goln' to tun evidence p
cried Cranks, grasplng the pistol on the
table.
''Im a-going to make lead mine Of
you ef YOU don't tax, that back !"
roared the colonel viii bound which
caused Cranks To drop the pistol and
retire precipitately, aIologizing as he
went I'm goin' to tend to my own
business, an that : enough to keep any
man blzzy, Somebody lend me fifty
dollars till see them again
Perkins pressed the money into the
eolonels hand and within t'so minutes
the colonel was on T. psle's back and
galloped on in the direction the stage
had taken.
lie overtoo< il, be pissed i, and still
lie gallopcd oa.
The people At Mud Gulch knew the
colonel well, and made a rule never to
he astonished at anything nc did; but
ineN nlAdn an eXcenLlnn 10 tho