The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1885-07-11

gun from the underbrush, he crossed the
road and disappeared in the chaparral,
Martin stood close in the shadow Of the
buckeye,
The stage crAwled lazily out of the
canyon, Only the driver and a single
passenger occupied the box, and the
passenger was a woman. When the
vehicle had approached within ten yards
of the buckeye, a shrill whistle sounded
and two men with leveled shot-guns
stood in the roadway. The leaders of
the stage team sprang away to the right
and would have dashed down the bank
in their fright if the driver had not
skillfully reined them in,
"Haltp'
"Halt 1t Is" the driver replied; "but
you might as well put down them Cat
ling-they're dangerous, and might go
off; besides, they skeer this young
lady,"
"Shut yer jaw and throw down that
box," commanded Marvin, advancing
with his gun leveled, while Valencia
grasped the reins of the nigh leader.
(Which box do you meanP' inquired
the driver.
"Wells Fargo's; and if you give us
the wrong one you'll never drive over
this road again"
The threat produced the effect in
tended, and a heavy blue box, bound
with iron, and padlocked, was flung
into the road. Martin examined it
closely, and was apparently satisfied,
for he motioned Pedro away from the
horses and ordered the driver to go
ahead, and be quick about it, too"
When the stage had disappeared, the
partners picked up the box and struck
into narrow trail leading across the
canyon.
"Purty heavy box," remarked Pedro.
Eyes. Ireckon we've called the turn
this time, If it's over ten thousand Pm
going to quit the business" Martin ans.
) wered.
The two men struggled in silence
through the chaparral, crossing pre-
oipitous gulches and climbing steel
, ridges, until they reached the head of &
gloomy canyon, thickiy overhung will
young pines and chemisal, Here the!
deposited their burden, and tearing
away huge bpwlder from the hillside
revealed cavity that had eyidentl,
been prepared for the reception o
booty. They hastily thrust the box int,
its place, carefully effacing every trac
of their work.
On their return to Campo Seco, the
found the town in a fever Of excitemen
- over the bold robbery that had occurre,
almost at their very doors. The sherii
and posse of determined men wer
securing the country in search of tn
robbers, and the people were anxiousl
# awaiting the result of the search. No
the least suspicion attached to the part
C ners. WHO were regarded by the citizen
of Campo Seco simply as gamblers c
q" the ordinary character. They retire
that night weary with their labor, bu
exulting in the knowledge that their eT
terprise had yielded them the handsom
profit of twenty thousand dollars.
N PEDRO VALENCIA, solus.
"a pretty good nights work" mu
tered Pedro Valencia, as he curled IL
=" in his bunk, after parting with Marti
' -"a pretty good nights work. Twent
y thousand dollars! My share is ten thol
' sand! ThRt'il take Me back to DuraI
= go, and plantations are cheap enpug
:, there. Santa Maria! but I'll live eas
: after this. I'll pass for a rich golC
hunter, and I'll marry some ric
ranchero's daughter, and I'll ride Ii
. finest horse in Mexico. Twenty thol
= sand dollars, and half Of it is min
Ten thousand dollars! That's q goo
deal, but it isn't as much as twent
, thousand. Why shouldn't l have it al
!, He's only miserable Gringo, anyhow
= and If he gets half chance he'll chez
-. me out of my share. Suppose wal
y off with the box? Twenty thousan
= dollars in Mexico is big pill. Let n
: see. enn fool this Yankee thief, an
believe I'll do it. I'll take the box OF
:. of the cache and hide it somewhel
~ else. When the row about this ro
berry cools down and the Gringo tall
y about dividing, we'll so to the plat
= where We hid the box, and VIC won
= find it. Then I'll say some cursed thi
has watched us and stolen our none
y The Yankee won't know any diffcren
- Then, when the time comes, III disal
pear, ] might as well have twen
L. thousand as ten thousand, and I'll ha'
=, it-this very night"
N And the robber arose, and dressiI
9 himself, placed revolver in his bel
il and stole forth into the night,
ra JACK MARTIN, cogitdns.
es ''It's the best job ever did," thougl
Jack Martin, as he flung himself, ha
D. HRdpessed, on the bed in his cabil
Or Twenty thousand dollars! My sha
ro is ten thousand. Ten thousand dollar
ey I'll quit cards: I'll be an honest mai
le I'll get out of the State; I'll so back
IL Missouri, buy farm aud settle dow
G. I'll live easy the rest Of my life"
t. The vision that rose before the ro
ber's imagination was so vivid. so ea'
er of realization, that he became restle
IN with excitement--the first emotion
sc had shown since the incident at Il
I'd buckeye, On the summit of "Two-mi
'lr Hill" He spraag from the bed, T
lighted his candle, and paced TO and f
in across the narrow cabin. Then
nd threw 3 pine=knot on the smolderiI
he embeFs in the fireplace, and, lightiI