Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1879-09-05

taking out carefully its contents and
letting them look inside; the wrapping
paper deceived him.
"No,' he cried, there's no treasure
on this stage, but we've sworn to have
o hundred dollars tonight, and if We
can't find it in the treasure-box, we may
find it in the baggage. Who's inside 2
"Two men and lady. None OF
them rich; one is the horseshoer, going
to Denver to shoe the company's horses
"Well look out for 'em. What
ever happens. don't stir on your peril.
We may find the money on them, or in
the baggage
81 felt terrible for the young girl.
The perspiration stood in great beads
of agony ali over my body.
cit was evident they were sleeping.
The men ratified the door and reused
them. Presenting his gun, he ordered
them out to be searched. They obeyed,
half asleep. He placed them in row.
Hands up!' he said. Now for your
pockets!' The horseshoer had but two
dollars in silver, the merchants porte
monnaie showed but q five, and the
young lady's nothing but some stamps
and little change. The girl, l am
sure, looked as if she would swoon.
" You're a mean crowd to have so
little with you, said he, 'and I've a
mind to send you to Heaven this very
night. A hundred dollars We must
have, SO we'll go for your baggge.
This was uttered with infinite disgust.
1.-The merchant then spoke. You II
find nothing of account in our baggage,
but if you will ask this young lady for
her hat, an } carefully rip out the lining.
you will find something worth your
pains
The girl turned toward him with
blazing eyes and uttered but one word:
"Traitor "
"There was no escape; the hat was
secured. After the lining was care
fally ripped out, it was returned with
thanks.
"'In luck. in luck = said the:hig J.
wayman. Jump in. all. I'm sorry
for your loss, miss, but We are bound
to take whatever is sent us. We have
no treasure, but this will do. Drive
on!
"I want the way-bill = I said, ex-
citedly, for the scene we had just wit
messed had increased my indignation to
a fever heat.
HE handed it to me, but it fluttered
under the horses feet, and again Ge-
manded it. Mechanically he picked it
up, mounted the wheel and handed it
to me. Then, touching his hat to the
lady, said:
60 But for this lining you might have
been lying in yonder ditch. No treas.
ure on board Come this way next
time without it, and we'd finish your
accounts. Drive ont
1--WE gladly followed this advice
but could not find language vigorous
enough to express our contempt for
the meanness of the merchant. The
driver swore at him in Spanish, and the
young lady answered all attempts at
consolation with hysterical sobs. The
merchant alone preserved his equanim-
ity of temper.
ARRIVING at Denver he begged very
earnestly of the young lady, with me as
her friend, to grant him few moments
for explanation in q private parlor. He
was SO earnest that the young girl
yielded a reluctant consent.
"He closed the door and bolted it,
which looked strangely.
"' Don't fear, he said, as fumbled
for my revolver. Sitting in chair, he
pulled off his boot, and from the toe
pulled out roll of greenbacks. Said
he, "A few days before leaving, was
lucky enough to find an opportunity to
exchange my doubloons for these. My
poor child, let me make restitution.
Here are two thousand in bills for the
one thousand secured by the robbers
handing her that amount-'your lining
was God-send to me; If they had
searched me further they would have
secured twenty instead of one thousand.
Concealed in my baggage are diamonds
and precious stones, which, If they had
secured, would have beggared me. TAX
ing solitaire from his vest lining, he
presented that also for her acceptance,
| 1 should have explained in the stage,
but walls have ears" and why should
trust others with my secrets 2
"Of course as it turned out, I was
highly pleased at the sagacity of the
gentleman; the more so as I recollected
the responsibility of the specie too
had assumed.
need not tell you that the lady's
tears we're transmitted into rare smiles,
and she was sent to her home rejoicing"
Growing Plants in Moist Sponge.
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