The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1880-05-27
How McCracken Went Up.

The robbiug OF the Deadwood coach
had become the rule instead of the eX-
ception, until the only way to get the
treasure box through was bv strategy
That is. the impression would he given
out that it WAS TO 6r sent ut a certain
time, and box mad" to represent the
true one would be pnced inside, vi ere
the gentry Of the road and pistol w,le
sure to have j.tl!n uouMe in finding it.
1t WAS just growing dark, when the
stage Ct Seconded a lorg, not very steep
hill, at the bottom OF which the banks
narrowcu, SO that scarcely room re-
manned 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 ana 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 a view to speculation. Look
ING out Of the stage, we saw We were
surrounded hy number of dark forms,
every one OF whom had II ride leveled
at u.s.
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 a big horse
pistol when he was going one eye on
souint down the barrel, and the grand
son promised his mother that he would
,.over form the habit of sporting with
such gigantic weapons, lest he, too,
might meet with some accident.
/ supported revolver, and | had my
hand on it at the time the startling
summons 10 surrender reached us. L
might have made respectable fight, and
gone down like perforated sieve with
bullets, led on by the ambition to be re-
ferred to in my obituary notice as pas
senger who had made plucky fight
against party of road agents.
But | am old enough to have tray
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 show of resistance.
There were five of the highwaymen
together, and they instantly closed in
about Us. The leader thrust his hand
into the coach with his pistol pointed,
and ordered Us to Get out.
1t wasn't necessary for him to repeat
the command. We understood and re-
spected it.
The robbers were disappointed. There
was a treasure box in the stage, and the
loot upon the person OF Mr. Perkins
and myself was of little account.
My watch was Of the bulI's-e pat
tern, descended TO me from a Revoiu-
tionary ancestor, and if put up at auc-
ton. before lot OF antiquarlans, might
have excited an enthusiasm that would
have brought FIVE dollars.
Perkins claimed that his time piece
was a full half century older, and |
don't doubt it but my New England
nei ghbor, with all his simplicity, pos
sessed vein Of shrewdness Which was
sure to stand him well.
He was worth considerable money,
and he had prepared for this contin-
gency by putting 1t in such shape that
no one Else could &c: hold of 1t. My
property has always been IN such shape
that | couldn't get hold of 1t myself.
The driver, as matter of course, dad
not carry anything expensive about
him. rr~
Up to this point the proceedings par
took more Of farce, but the tragedy
was close at hand. Tie lead r of the
road agents announced, IN spirit Of
bravado, that he was Mix McCracken,
for whose head there VAS a reward OF
$1,000 off red, and he invitei all who
might banker for that sum to come and
take him.
Perkins aad | would have hs,n glad
to earn such comfortable htrlr sum,
but we didn't zee our way quit lear to
perfect or ar sngsment- lust ten.