The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1883-12-26
Tom saws there's at least $40. 900 in SIGHT.

Motley is a school marin and don't know
it. Don't forget now. Goodbye"
Franks pretty eyes and mouth spread
wider and wider as these words came out
of the wonderful little instrument.
For goodness sake. who is he talking
to? Oh-h-h, Wees. why it must he to
Frank Downcy, the express agent at
Bokcy. They've been talking together,
and Downcy has stopped and switched
my end on. Motley is Il school marin, is
he: There's $40, 900 in sight and Charley
don't know it. and the money is going
up there on the stage from Bokcy to-
night. Oh dear. what shall | do: I'll
90 up there. | will. It's only eight
miles. and its twenty from Bokey. It's
five o'clock. and the stage gets there at
nine
Frank WAS Il California girl. and there
were no pcrils to her on the cight-mile
trail to Logtown, and if there had been.
the slur cast upon Chnrlcy's kccnnc>S,
600 in sight for him would have been
sufficient incentives to induce her to
dare them, though she knew they awaited
her. Running over to the postotticc, she
hurricdly engaged the young clerk to
take care of the instrument for her. and,
daShinw back to her room. she soon APP
pcarcd ready for her cight-milc walk t"
Logtown. \ little silk cap Surmonntcd
her head and over it was stretched a
black veil to protect her face from the
sun and from the evening breeze after
dark. Spreading her .jaunty paraSol she
trcadcd her way along the narrow trail
which led through the chaparral into the
dark woods.
The sun was vet very hot. although
almosi down behind the hill. and the
trail was steep and rocky. but Frank
! pushed on. muttcring to herself, when
She felt so tired she was tempted to sit
| down and rest. ''Charlcy's Il school
marin is he? Ten thousand dollars in
| sight and he don't know it, ch! Well,
he shall know it. and have all the credit
| Of the discovery, too. there now Up,
| up, down, down. around and around
wound the mountain trail. and Frank
wound with it, until tired, dusty, breath
less. hoarsc. and almost crying, she saw
| the county highway in the Sombrc moon
light just below her.
Just as she reached the roadside and
was about to push through the chaparral
which here reached to her shoulders she
heard the rumbling old stage coach com
ING round a bend close to her.
With Il dcspairing resolve to 90 in at
least with the stage if she could not
before it. she pushed her closed parasol
| through the bushes and waved it to the
! driver, shouting at the same time. hoarsc
from her excitement, stop! Stop.
But to her establishment and di>may.
instead of stopping the driver reached
| down into the boot, and with a cuSs
yer, take it," threw Il heavy box into the
road. and, laShing his four-in-hand into
a run. disappeared down the canon.
Poor Frank crouchcd down into the
chaparral in despair.
:Oh, dear. | haven't walked there
| and I've lost the stage and poor Charley
oh. dear me-"
The spirit of a genuine California girl is
not easily overcome with despair, and
Frank was II genuine California girl and
| she was not to be beaten until she was.
She got up, pulled her black veil
tighter over her moist face and bravely
started on again to Logtown. 1t was not
! far and not a half hour elapsed before
she saw the lights Of the little camp
scattered around in the canon below
her
+ Brcathlcss and painting snc hurried to
A. x,,. ,r,nnf nrnurI nf mon Nyrrlh
cxcitcdly swearing and threatening ON
the porch. Some were i'll the street
| clinching saddles on to their horses, and
in their midst stood Black Pete, the
stage driver.
"Don't I know ".hc was angrily
shouting, Il tell yer 'twar only a mile
back. an thcr Gus showed his shootin'
iron right under my nose. Why didn't
| run fer it ? Thar war two NV en- thai
as sure as tightin'."
Pretty soon, with a yell and a whoop,
twenty men gallopcd up the road with a
suggcStivc-looking rope dangling from
one of the saddles.
Poor Frank fastened to find Charley.
She found him sitting diSconsolatcly on
the back porch.
why Frank. what in the world are
vou doing here /"
.'Oh, Charley. have you sold that mine
yet! Am l too late!'
''Too late for what? Sold it! No, and
! don ibclicvc | can. That man Bonn sent
his money up by express and aroad agent
got away with the stage tonight, and the
money with it. don't believe he'll risk
another thousand ona p%laycd-out mine"
''Oh goodic.." cried Frank, 1--we got
here IN time. Road agent? Oh, that Is
too rich. Oh dear, oh dear, | shall die
and Franks voice ended in 4 high
squeak of laughter.
''Frank, Frank. what is the matter:
What do YOU know about the road AGENT
Frank was holding to her sides in de-
spair of stopping her irrcpressible laugh;
Road agent! There wasn't any road
agent at all; I stopped the stage to get
on, and the driver threw a box at mc-c!'
"What does this mean. Frank? Tell
me. what were you doing on the road at
this time of night, all %alone?'
1t took her long time to get the story
out, but she did. while Charley stood
with his mouth open wide cnoughto rep
resent his played-out claim with $4,000
in sight"
No sooner had Frank told her story
that he caught her in his arms with a wild
shout; you little darling, you shall have
every cent of it."
About two hours aftcrward ii file of dis
consulate, disguised hcrscmen wendell
their way up to the tavern, with a "sug-
gestive rope dangling from one of the
saddles and a box containing $1,000.
1t Is sufficient to relate that Charley
did not sell his $40. 600 in sight. but on
the contrary, received a much larger sum-;
sufficient, in fact. to make him a happier
man financially and matrmonially. When
enough of the story had been told in the
bar-room to account for the stopping of
the stage Black Pete had to provide for Il
smile all round with acontinucndo.-Los
-ingelcx (C"I.) Rerrr0tton.