Connecticut western news., 1883-10-31
A WESTERN STORY.
A ONE-EYED MAN TO THE RESCUE, AND
 HOW DEsGUSTED HE FELT.
How a Party of Travellers BOasted of How They Would RepeI the Attack of Road Agents mud How They Did It.

How a Party of Travellers Roasted of How
 They Would RepeI the Attack of Road
 Agents aud How They Did It.
 By and by the army officer mentioned something about road agents, and di- rectly the conversation became interest ing. Coaches had been stopped at vari- ous points on the line within 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 es. capped his mouth. The captain had said what he would do in case the coach was halted, and this brought out the others. It 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 circum- stances there could be but one interpre- tation of such conduct.
 ''A coward has no business travelling 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 moment, he fell back again without having replied.
 If he wasn't chicken hearted, why didn't he show his colors ? If he intend ed to fight where were his weapons? He had no Winchester, and so far as any one had seen as he entered the coach, he was without revolvers. Everybody felt contempt for man who calculated to hold up his hands at the order, and permit himself to be quickly despoiled.
 "Pop! pop halt!'
 The passengers were dozing as the salute of the road agents reached their ears. The coach was halted in 8 way to tumble everybody together, and legs and bodies were still tangled up when a voice at the door of the coach called out:
 No. nonsense now! You gentlemen climb right down here and up with your me will get bullet through his head p
 We had agreed to fight. The captain had agreed to lead us. We were listen ing for his yell of defiance and the click of his revolver when he stepped down and out as humbly as you please. The 4sutler had been aching to chew up a dozen road agents, and now he was the second man out. The surveyor had in- timated that he never passed over the route without killing at least three high waymen, but this ocasion 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 hands won't ever know what hurt him r
 Where was the man with one eye The robber appeared to believe that we were all out, and he was just approach ing the head of the line to begin his work when dark form dropped out of the coach, there was yell as if from a wounded tiger, and revolver began to crack. The robber went down at the first pop. His partner was just coming around the rear of the coach. He was game man. He knew what had hap pened, but he was coming to the rescue. Pop pop ! pop went the revolvers, their flashes lighting up the night until we could see the driver in his seat.
 It 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 lock cut from his head and the graze of @ bullet across his cheek. Not one of us had moved a | finger. We were five fools in TOW. There was painful lull after the last shot, and 1t lasted full minute before the stranger turned to us and remarked in quiet, cutting manner:
 "Gentlemen, ye can drop yer hands '! We dropped. We undertook to thank him, and we wanted to shake hands, and somebody suggested shake purse fol his benefit, but he motioned us into the coach, banged the door after us, and climbed up to seat beside the driver His contempt for such a crowd could no be measured. d.--Det,'oH Free Press.