, 1880-05-27
How McCrackan Went Up.

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had become the rule instead of the eX-
ception, until the only way to get the
treasure box through was by strategy.
That lis, the impression would be gwen
out that it was to bn sent at certain
time, and a box made to represent the
true one wonld,be placed inside, where
the gentry Of the road and pistol we've
sure to have little trouble in finding It,
1t was just growing dark, when the
stage descended u long, not very steep
hill, at the bottom of which the banks
narrowed, 50 that scarcely room re-
mained for two vehicles to- pass.
Pete, the driver, in talking with us,
had said that this was the most danger
Gus point in the route; and sure enough
it proved to be. We were no more than
fairly at the bottom of the hill, and the
horses had just been brought down to a
walk, when an order to halt sounded up
on the air, backed up.by some blister
ing oaths.
There were two passengers within
myself and shrewd New Englander,
named Perkins, on his way to the Black
Hills, with view TO speculation. Look
ing out of the stage, we saw we were
surrounded by number Of dark forms,
every one of whom had a rifle leveled
at US.
Strange as it may seem, my compan-
ion, Perkins, carried no weapon Of any
kind. He gave as reason that his
grandfather was killed by big horse
pistol when he was going one eye on
squint down the barrel, and the grand
son promised his mother that he would
never form the habit of sporting with
such gigantic weapons, lest he, too,
might meet with some accident.
I supported revolver, and l had my
hand. ON it at the time the startling
summons to surrender reached US. l
might have made respectable fight, and
gone down like sperforated sieve with
bullets, led on b., the ambition to be re-
.ferred to in my obituary notice as q pas
sengef who had (made alplucky fight
against party Of road agents.
But I am old enough to have trav-
eled sufficiently to use little discretion,
and to take matters philosophically. l
preferred to surrender and was much
relieved therefore when the driver drew
up without any shoY Of resistance.
There were Eve Of The highwaymen
together, and they instantly closed in
about ,us. The leader thrust;h his hand
into the coach with his pistol pointed,
and ordered us to getout.
n AItSwasn't necessary for him to repeat
che command We understood and re-
spected it. TE'l IT I'll " -
The robbers were disappointed. There
was treasure box in the stage, and the
"loot upon the person of Mr.. Perkins
and myself was Of little'account. 90
Ny watch was Of the bulls-eye pat
term, descended to me from a Reyolu.
tionary ancestor, and if put up at auc-
tion, before lot Of antiquarians, might
have excited an enthusiasm that would
have brought Eve dollars.
Perkins claimed that his time piece
was afull half century older, and
don't doubt it; but my New. England
neighbor, with all bis simplicity, pos.
ceased alSein Of shrewdness which was
sure to stand him well. ls Il5u
He was worth considerable money,
and he had prepared for this contin.
gency by putting IL in such a shape that
no one else could get hold of it. My
property has always been in such shape
that / couldn't get hold of it myself
The driver, as a matter of course, did
not carry anything Expensive ! about
him. ,-.
Up to this point the proceedings par
took more of farce, but the tragedy
was close at hand. Tie leader of the
road agents announced, in spirit Of
bravado, thai he was Nike McCracken
for whose head there was reward o.
$4,000 offered, and he invited all who
might banker for that sum to come anC
take him.
Perkins and would have been alac
to earn such comfortable little sum
but we didn't see our way quite clear t.