Morris tribune., 1881-07-28

ing, halted and wiped his perspiring brow
with his shirt sleeve.
"Fur enough from home now" said he.
faint no use bein' gentleman If yer
have to work too herd."
'Safe enough, / reckon" replied the
colonel "WeI do the usual; I'll halt 'em,
Logroller tend to the driver, Cranks take
the boot, and Mack and Perk takes right
and left An know it's tough-but con-
slderin' how everlastiu', eternal hard
up we are, reckon we'll
have to ask contributors from
the ladies, too, if there's eny aboard-eh,
Reckon SO. replied Logroller, with q
chuckle that seemed to inspire his black
domino with wrinkle or two. whats
the use of women's rights eff they don't ever
have chance of exercis'n 'em! Hevin'
their purses borrowed IL show 'em the full
doctrine in bran new hight.
Come. come, boys" interrupted the
colonel, that's the crack of Old Blacks
whip; pick yer bush-quick! AL jump
when whistle"
Each man secreted himself near the road
side. The stage came swinging along
handsomely; those inside were laughing
Just giving delicate touch to the flank of
the off leader, when the colonel gave a
shrill, quick whistle and five men sprang
| into the road.
The horses stopped as suddenly as if it
were matter of common occurrence. Old
Black dropped the reins, crossed his
| legs and stared into the sky, and the pas
sengers all put out their heads with rapid
ity equalled only by that with which they
Withdrew them as they saw the dominoes
and revolvers of the road agents.
Seems to be something the matter, gen.
tlemen," said the colonel blandly as he
opened the door. "Won't You please get
out? Don't trouble yourself to draw, COS my
friend here's got his weapon cooked an
his fingers rather nervous. Amt got a
handkerchief, hev yer?" asked he of the
first passenger who descended from the
stage. "Hev? Well, now that's lucky. Just
put yer hands behind yer, please-so-thats
it." And the unfortunate mans arms were
securely tied behind in an instant.
The remaining passengers were treated
with similar courtesy, and the colonel and
captives. Old Black RENAME unmolested
for who ever heard of a stage driver having
money!
"Boys," said the colonel, calling his
brother agents aside and comparing receipts,
faint much of haul; but there's only
one woman and she's old enough to be q
fellers grandmother"
Like enough she'll pan out more than
all the rest of the stage together" growled
Cranks, carefully testing the thickness of
the case of the gold watch. "Just like the
low lived deceitfulness of some folks to
hire an old woman to carry their money, so
it'd 90 safer. Mebbe what she's got amt
nothin' to some folks that's got bosses that
can win money at races. but
The colonel abruptly ended the CONVEX
sation, and approached the stage. He was
very chivalrous, bat Crank sarcastic refer
ence to Tipsie needed avenging, and as he
could not consistently with business ar
engagements put an end to Cranks, the only
lady would have to suffer.
Il beg your pardon, ma'am," said the
colonel, raising his hat politely with one hand
while be drew open the coach door with the
other. "but we're taking up a collection
for some deserving object We was goin
to make the gentlemen fork over the hull
amount, but ez they amt got enough, we
will hev to bother you"
The old lady trembled, felt for her peck
book and raised her veil. The colone
looked into her face, slammed the stage
door, and sitting on the hub of one of the
wheels, stared vacantly into space.
"Nothin'?". queried Perkins in whisper
aud with face full Of genuine sympathy.
Moves" said the colonel dreamily
"That is, unite 'em and let the stage &C
ahead" he continued, springing to his feet
"I'l hurry back to the cabin" And The
colonel dashed into the bushes and left hi
followers so paralyzed with astonishmen
that Old Black afterward remarked that i
there'd been anybody to attend to thu
horses he could have cleaned out the who'll
crowd with his whip.
The passengers, relieved of their weap
ons, were unbound, allowed to enter tn
stage, and the door was slammed, upo1
which Old Black picked up his reins as i
he had laid them down at the station Will
the horses were being changed, the,
cracked his whip aHd the stage rolled off
while the colonel's party fastened back tt
their hut, fondly inspecting as they wen
certain TASKS they had obtained while trans
acting their business with the occupants o
the stage.
Great was the surprise of the road agent
as they entered their hut for there stood
the, colonel in clean white shirt and in
suit of clothing made from the Limited
srare wardrobes of the other members o
the band.
But the suspicious Cranks speedily sub
! ordinated his wonder to his prudence, a
! laying on the table heavy purse, he ex.
claimed:
"Gome, colonel, business before pleasure
let's divide and scatter. Eff anybody SHOULD
hear about, and find our trail, an ketch th
. traps in our possession, they might
divide yerselves?" said the colonel
] --.k u 1. IL
? :. Il don't want none of it.
Colonel" said Perkins, removing hi
: own domino and looking anxiously into tn
! leaders, face, "be you sick? Here's SON.
bully brandy which I found in the passen
gers pockets.
at hain't nothin', replied the colone
with averted eyes. ''Pm goin' and I'm re
!; trim from business forever.
e Amt going to turn evidence?" erie
Cranks, grasping pistol on the table.
''Im going to make lead mine of you e
you don't take that back" reared the colonel
with bound that caused Cranks to drel
the pistol and retire precipitately, apologiz
. ing as he went, I'm going to at
= tend to my own business, and that
y enough to keep anybody bizzy. Somebod
. lend me fifty dollars till see him agin."
!; Perkins pressed the money into the col
onels hand, and within two minutes tn
: colonel was on Tipsie's back. and gallope
off in the direction the stage had taken.
= He overlook it, passed it, and still b
~ galloped Ola.
The people at Mud Gulch knew tn
y colonel we'll and made it rule never to b
astonished at anything he did; and the
:, made an exception to the rule when tn
!. colonel canvassed the principal barroom
l. for men who wished to buy horse, an
when o gambler who was flush obtaine
. Tipsie for 20 slugs- only ST. 200, when tn
J. colonel had always said there wasn't gol
u enough on the top of the ground to bu
: her-Mud Gulch experienced decide
sensation.
: But when the colonel, after remainingi
u the barber shop for half an hour, emerge
. with his face clean shaved and his hal
- nicely trimmed and parted, betting was s
g wild that cool sporting man mad
= fortune by betting against every theor
/, that had been advanced.
% Then the colonel madea tour of the store
: and fitted himself with new suit of cloteh
VI Eli i n