Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1884-02-27
Stage Coach Robbers.

There was an army officer, a suger,a
surveyor and two men who might have
been mine inspectors. in the coach when
il drew up at Burt Hill to take on an
other passenger.
.Howdy,' said the new passenger, as
he crowded in.
As he stood for a moment IN The
light Of the station lamp, all saE that i
his left eye was gone. He wore no
shade or patch to conceal the loss, and
those who gave him a second look fel'
the fire in bis remaining eye was bright
enough for two. Dark as it was IN The
stage he seemed to have sized up
every man inside of minute, and
seeming to be satisfied regarding the
crowd, he settled himself back in his
scat, and had no remarks TO make.
By and by the army officer mention
ed something about road agents aud
directly the conversation became inter-
esting. Coaches had been stopped al
various points on tie line within week
and il 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. Ouce or twice he raised his head.
and that single eye blazed 10 the dark
ness like lone star, but not word
escaped bis mouth. The captaia had
said what be would do in case the
coach was halted, and this brought out
the Others. It was firmly decided 60
fight. The passengers had money 10
fight for and weapons 10 fight with.
The man with one eye said nothing
At such time, aud under such cir
cumstances. there could be but one in-
terpreta,Ion of such conduct.
'Acoward has no business travelling
this route, said the captain iu a voice
which every one could near.
The stranger started up, and that
eye Of lis seemed 10 shower sparks OF
fire. but after moment he fell back
agaiu without having replied.
If he wasn't chicken hearted, why
dldn'l he show his cvlors? If he intend.
ell to fight where were his weapons ?
He had no Winchester. and 80 far as
any one had seen as be entered the
coach he was without revolvers. Every
body ielt contempt for a man who
calculate to hold up his hands at the
order, and permit himself 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
10 tumble everybody together, and legs
and bodies were still tangled up when
voice at the door Of The coach called
out
No nonesence now Yeu gentlemen
climb right down here and up with
your hands. The first man who kicks
on me will get a bullet through bis
head y
We had agreed 10 fight. The cap
tain hal agreed 10 lead US. We we've
listening for his yell OF defiance and the
click Of his revolver. when be stepped
down and out as humbly as you please.
The sulter had been aching TO chew up
dozen road agents, and now he was
the second man out. The surveyor had
inilmated that he never passed oyer
the route without killing at least three
highwsymen, but this occasion was TO
be an exception. 10 three minutes the
five O. US were down aud in lioe and
hauds up, and The road agent had
said
Straight matters OF business First
QUE who drops his hands won't know
waht hurt him y
Where was the man with one eye
The robber appeared to believe that we
we're all out, and he @as just approach
ing the lead of the line 10 begin bis
work, when a dark form dropped out
of the coach, there was yell as if from
wounded tiger, and revolver began
10 crack. The rebber went down nj
the first pop. His partner was just
coming around the rear Of the coach.
He was game man. He knew what
had happened. aod he was co ming 10
the rescue. Pop. pop popl went the
revolvers. their flashes lighting up the
night until we could see the driver in
his scat.
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 lock cut from
his heag and The graz ofa bullet across
bis cheak. n t Que bad moved a fla
ger. We were five fools in row. There
wa, a painful iull after the last shot,
and ii lasted iull minute before the
stranger turned to US aud remarked in
a quiet, cutting manner.
Gentlemen, ye kin drop your handNp
We dropped. We undertook 10 thank
him, aud we wanted to shake hands,
aud somebody suggested shake-purse
for his benefit, but he molioaed Us INTO
the coach. banged lhe dor after us,
and climbed up to seat beside the
driver. His contempt for such crowd
could not be measured.
AT l.,