The southern sentinel. (Winnfield, La.) 1883-1910, 1884-11-07
ROBBING THE STAGE.

tween Bokey's and Logtown, was crawl
ing up the long grade which cork.
screwed around TO the summit of Piloi
Knob. 1t was necessary to do this in
order that 8 good preparatory start
might be had for the succeeding rafting
plunge down the other corkscrew road
which led to Logtown.
BY the side of Black Pete, the driver,
sat an Eastern importation of the genus
drummer" Pete rolled his tobacco
into his cheek, snapped fly off the eaI
of his nigh leader and said:
mo. sir, don't git no pay fer fight
in, an l don't do no tightin' for ther
Company. If ary galoot stops this hyer
stage and perlitely like asks for the
cash box, he's gwine ter git it. Tain't
no use. no ways. to fight them fellers,
they always hey Their drap on ye."
..But,n said the drummer, "were you
ever robbed on this route?"
"Wal, no, but I've seed fellers loaf
in round heer ez thought mought do
it some time er other
'tAnd if they did stop you, you would
give them the express box and drive on,
eh?''
Eyer bet! If Their Express Company
wants to perfect Their box they must send
a messenger along"
The stage crawled up slowly to the
top of the hill, and Black Pete settled
his foot firmly on the brake-strap. and
with .tscat 'em, boys" the sweating
horses started to investigate the myster-
les of the almost invisible road below
them on keen gallop.
Round and round the rapidly-varying
road the stage and the passengers
whirled, sometimes losing sight of the
horses around the sharp turns and again
Slowing sharply .outward toward the
dangerous e0ge of the canyon which
yawned below them.
The sun was down and the moon was
painting weird and restless shadows on
the powdered dust Of the grade.
1t was just the time for the imagina-
ton to picture scenes of violence, rob-
berry and blood. Suddenly the chapar-
raj bushes by the roadside slightly part
ed, and . long shining black object was
waved over them toward the stage A
shadowy figure rose in the moonlight
among the bushes and from behind a
black veil, which smothered the voice
stop, stopm
Black Pete hurriedly pushed his foot
heavily down upon the brake. reached
down into the bottom of the stage, pull
ing out the express box and muttering,
''cuss yer. take it, !" threw the box into
the road. The restless horses immedi-
ately plunged away into the shadows Of
the forest.
'.Wa-was that . highwayman?" gasp
ed the drummer
In course it was,n answered Pete,
didn't yer see Their shootin' irone
Thar goes cool thousand dollars, as
knows on. You bet Their boys II be out
arter him tonight Ishouldn't wonder
if that war old Bart himself. He's a
cool one, he is. He always shoots his
mouth off in some potry. Leaves it in
the box when he gets through with it.
Didn't yer notice how level he held that
thar shootin' iron right towards me?''
The lights Of Logtown now glistcned
below them, and few turns of the
! corkscrew brought. the stage ND to the
hotel porch where it stopped with . loud
s.whoar' from Black Pete. Not MANY
minutes elapsed before the prophecy Of
Of Pete was realized, for rs soon IS the
story of the bold robbery of Wells &
fargo's box was related . dozen or so
ready miners volunteered to search the
woods for the road agent After half
A hours swearing and drinking over
the matter they saddled their horses and
started for the scene Of the robbery.
Il was : little, cramped-up heller.
SHELTER mining town among the Sierras,
One need notfise early in Scars Hole to
So the cum rise, for he will not see It II
he does Old Sol is never visible there
until ten in the morning. The rough,
picturesque cabins looking for all the
world ike dilapidated dice thrown at
random from the box. and built deep
down in hole between the surrounding
peaks. And yet they actually had 4
telephone connecting them with the
outside world. The denizens Of Scars
Hole were not given to an INDULGENCE in
business communications with the great
commercial centers, but their telephone
was the means Of preventing many Of
the inhabolnnts from spending the re-
naaindsr Of their earthly days It the in
sane asylum. Every morning when the
echoing Of the booming blasts and the
mud Ct the pick had ceased in the halt
dCoeu mining claims surrounding the
camp the wearied. lonely miners eSther-
edot the little cabin II which wa
rlnqsd the telephone. and &ave vent 70
their pentrup feelings b., nj free
6Ght but BY Tree in7slpknaeo u ros-
dp with the rosideato q Is earns
okuye nd he1oW H. - - 1,no - 10