Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-08

"Hello, Frank" shouted smothered
voice close to her ear are you there
yet 2"
Frances jumped to her feet and ran to
the telephone.
Dear me, I left the receiver hanging
down, and they could not ring the bell. -"
She put it 60 her ear and shouted back
through the transmitter:
"Yes, I'm here; what is it?
"Don't you forget to send that thousand
up on the stage tonight to Logtown. Tom
says there's at least Sl0,0 in sight. Mot
lev is a schoolmarm and don't know it.
Don't forget now. Good. by"
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 y-e.es why it must be to
Frank Downey, the Express Agent at
Bokey. They We been talking together,
and Downey has stopped and switched my
end on. Motley is school marin, is she :?
There's $40, in sight, and Charley don't
know it, and the money is going up there
on the stage from Bokey tonight. On,
dear, what shall do? I'll go up there. l
will. It's only eight miles, and its twenty
from Bokey. It's o'clock, and the stage
gets there at 9 "
Frank was a California girl, and there were
no perils to her on the eight mile trail to
Logtown, and if there had been, the slur
cast upon Charley's keenness, and the eager
desire to cave that $50 900 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 postoffice, she hurridly engaged the
young clerk to take care of the instrument
| for her, and, dashing back to her room, she
soon appeared ready for her eight-mile
walk to Logtown. A little silk cap sur
mounted her head, and over it was
stretched black veil to protect her face
from the sun and from the evening breeze
after dark. Spreading her jaunty parasol
she treaded her way along the narrow trail
which led through the cnaoarral into the
dark woods.
The sun was yet very hot, although al
most down behind the hills, and the trail
was steep and rocky, but Frank pushed on,
muttering to herself, when she felt so
tired she was tempted to sit down and
rest, "Chsrley's a school.marm, is he +?
Ten thousand dollars in sight and he don't
know it, en- ? We'll 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,
breathless, hoarse, and almost crying, she
saw the county highway in the somber
moonlight, 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 coming round
bend close to her.
With a despairing resolve to 60 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, hoarse from
her excitement, "Stop Stop! !"
But to her astonishment and dismay, in
stead of stopping the driver reached down
into the boot, and with :" Cuss yer, take
1t threw heavy box into the road, and,
Iashing his four.in- hand into = run, disap-
peared down the canyon.
Poor Frank crouehed down into the
chaparral In despair.
son, dear l haven't walked there and
I've lost the stage and poor Cnariey-oh,
dear me
The spirit of genuine c 4lifornia girl Is
not easily overcome with despair, and
Frank was genuine California girl, and
she was not to be beaten until she vas.
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 cav the
lights of the little camp scattered arouaA
in the canyon below her.
Breathless and painting she hurried to
the tavern. a great crowd of men were
excitedly swearing and threatening on the
porch. Some were in the street cinching
saddles on to their horses, and in their
midst stood Black Pete, the stage driver
Don't l know" he was aDgrily shout
ing. Il tell yer 'twar only mile back, an
ther cuss showed his shootin' iron right
under my nose. Why dIdn'5 | run fer it :?
Thar war two Nv EN- thar, as sure as
fightin'."
Pretty soon, with yell aud whoop,
twenty men gslloped 10 the road with a
ggestive.looking rope dangling from one
Of the saddles.
Poor Frank fastened to find Charley,
She found MIN sitting disconsolately on the
back porch.
"Why, Frank, what il the world are
you doing p
60, Charley, have you sold that mine
yet Am too late"
"Too late for what? Sold it? No, and
don't believe l can. That man Bonn sent
his money up by express and a road agent
got away with the stage tonight, and the
money went with il. | don't believe hell
risk another thousand on played.o out
mine
'Oh poodie " cried Frank, Give got
here in time. Road agent Oh, that is
too rich. On dear, Oh dear, shall Gle -
and Franks voice ended in high squeak
of laug hter.
Frank Frank what is the matter
What do You know about the road agent?'
Frank was holding to her sides in despair
Of stopping her irresistible laugh.
Road agent? There wasn't any road
agent at all l stopped the stage TO get on,
and the driver threw box at NEE
What does this mean, Frank Tell
me. What were you doing on the road at
this time of night, all alone?
Il took her long tine to get the story
out, but she did, while Charley stood with
DIS NOUN open Nilt CADuSu 90 F'ttSttis
his played-out claim with $40 900 in
sight.
No sooner had Frank told her story than
he caught her in his arms with a wild,
shout, " You little darling, you eaall have
every cent of 1t.
About two hours afterwards a file Of dis.
consulate, disgusted horsemen weEded
their way Up 70 the tavern with sug-
gestige rope dangling from one OF the sad.
dies and box containing 81, eco.
It is sufficient to relate thar Charley did
not sell his Sl0,O in sight, but, on the
contrary, received a much larger sum sui
icient, in fact, to make him much hap
pier man, financially and matrimonislly.
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
a smile all round, with oontinuendo
News and Recreation.