The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1883-11-08
THE STAGE COACH ROBBERS.
What the Passenger With One Eye
Did.

What the Passenger With One Eye
Did.
There was an army officer. Sutler
surveyor and two men who might
have been mine inspectors on the
stage when it drew up at Burt Hill
to take On another passenger.
"Howdy, said the new passenger
as he crowded in.
AS he stood for a moment in the
light of the station lamp, all saw that
his left eye was gone. He wore no
shade or patch to conceal the loss, and
those who gave him second look felt
that the fire in his remaining eye was
bright enough to answer for two.
Dark rs 1t was in the stage, he seemed
to have ''sized up" every man inside
of a minute, and, seeming to be salts
fled regarding the crowd, he settled
himself back in his seat and had no
remarks to make.
By and by the army officer men,
toned something about road agents,
and, directly, the conversation became
interesting.
Coaches had been stopped at various
points along the line within a week.
and it was pretty generally believed
that bad gang had descended on the
route and were still ripe for business.
The man with one eye had nothing to
say. Once or twice he raised his head,
and that single eye blaZed in the dark
ness like lone star, but not word
escaped his mouth. The captain had
said what he would do in case the
coach was halted, and this brought out
the others. 1t was firmly decided to
fight. The passengers had money
to fight for and weapons to fight
with.
The man with one eye said nothing.
At such time and under such cir
cumstances there could be but one in
depreciation of such conduct.
GA coward has no business traY-
cling this route" said the captain
in voice which every man could
hear.
The stranger started up, and that
eye of his seemed to shower sparks
of fire; but, after a moment, he
fell back again without having re-
piled.
If he wasn't chicken-hearted, why
didn't he show his colors? If he in
tended to fight, where were his wea-
pons? He had no Winchester, and,
so far as any one had seen as he en-
tered the coach, he was without re-
volvers. Everybody felt a contempt
for man who calculated to hold ap
his hands at the order, and permit him
self to be quietly despoiled.
"Pop! pop! halt !"
The passengers were DOING as the
salute of the road agents reached
their ears. The coach was halted in
a way to tumble everybody together,
and legs and bodies were still tangled
UP when voice at the door of the
coach called out:
mo nonsense, now You gentle
tlemen come right down here and UP
with your hands The first man who
kicks on me will get bullet through
his head !"
We had agreed TO fight. The cap
tain had agreed to lead us. We were
listening for his yell of defiance and
the click of his revolver, when he
stepped down and out as humbly as
you please. The sutler had been ach-
ing to chew up a dozen road agents,
and now he was the second man out
The surveyor intimated that he never
passed over the route without killing
at least three highwaymen, but this
occasion was to be an exception. In
three minutes the five of us were down
and in line and hands up, and the road
agent had said:
Straight matter of business. First
one who drops his haGds won't know
what hurt him
Where was the man with the one
eye? The robber appeared to believe
that we were all out, and he was just
approaching the head of the line tC
begin his work when dark form
dropped out of the coach. There was
a yell as from wounded tiger, and &
revolver began to crack. The robbel
went downsat the first pop. His part
ner was just coming around the real
of the coach. He wassa game man
He knew what had happened, but
was coming to the rescue.
Pop pop pop! pop! went the re
volvers, their flashes lighting up thu
night until we could see the driver il
his seat.
1t didn't take twenty seconds. One
of the robbers lay dead in front Of
us-the other under the coach, while
the man with one eye had a lock cu1
from his head and the Craze Of bull
let across his cheek. Not one of IL!
had moved a finger. We were five
fools in a row. There was painful
lull after the last shot, and it lasted {
full minute before the stranger turned
to us and remarked in quiet, cut
ting manner:
Gentlemen, We kin drap yer hand
now !"
We dropped. We undertook t.
thank him, and we wanted to shak
hands, and somebody suggested
shake-purse for his beneflt, but he me
toned us into the coach, banged tn
door after US, and climbed up to
seat beside the driver. His contemp
for such a crowd could not be meas
ured. M. QUAD.