Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-10-17

with a game eye? And such an eyel &c
wh;llikins! Why, darn my skin, the other
day when we werc watering at WebSter's, no
got down and passed in front Of the OF leader
that yer pinto colt that's bin accustomed to
Iniins, grizzlies and buffaloSand I'm bless ef,
when her eye tackled his, eff she didn't jst git
I'D and rar round that l reckoned I'd heV to
90 down and take them binders of from her
eyes and clap on his" Slut be paid his
money, and Is entitled to his scat" persisted
Thatcher. EMebbe he iS-in the Office Of the
kempeny," growled Yuba Bill; "but it's time
some folks knowed that out in the plains
l run this yer team myself" A fact which
was self-evident to most Of the passengers
u suppose his authority is as absolute on this
6reary waste as a ship captains in mid
ocean" exclaimed Thatcher to the baleful-
eyed stranger. Mr.. Wies-whom the reader
has recognized-asSented with the public side
Of his face, but looked vengeance at Yuba
Bill with the other, while Thatcher, innocent
of the presence of one of his worst enemies,
placated Bill 50 far as to restore WileS to his
rights. Wiles thanked him "Shall l have
the pleasure Of your company farr WIes
asked, insinuatingly. ITO Washington" re-
piled Thatcher, frankly. washington Is a
gay city during the session" again suggested
the stranger. I'm going on business, said
Thatcher, bluntly.
A triHing incident occurred at Pine Tree
Crossing which did not heighten Yuba Bills
admiration of the stranger. As Bill opOned
the double locked box in the "boot" Of the
coach-sacred to Wells, Fargo & Co. g express
and the Overland %company's treaSureS-Mr.
Wiles perceived q small, black morocco porte
manteau among the parcels. %Ah, you carry
baggage there, tooF' he said, sweetly. mot
often" responded Yuba Bill, shortly. "Ah,
this then contains ~valuablesF' at belongs to
that man whose seat you've got" said Yuba
Bill, who, for insulting purposes OF his own,
preferred to establish the fiction that WileS
was an interloper, land eff he reckons, in q
sorter mixed kempeny like this, to lock up
his portmantle, l don't know who's business
it is. WhoF' continued Bill, lashing himself
into a simulated rage, "who in blank IS run
ming this yer tsaml Heyl Mebbe you think,
sittin' up thar on the box scat, you are.
Mebbe you think you kin SEQ round corners
with that thar eye and kin pull up for teams
round corners on down grades a mile aheadF
But here Thatcher, who, with something of
Laucelot's concern for Modred, had q noble
pity for all infirmities, interfered so sternly
that Yuba Bill stopped.
On the fourth day they struck a binding
snow storm while ascending the dreary pla-
teau that henceforward for COO miles was to
be their roadbed. Thu horses, after founder
ing through the drift, gave out completely on
reaching the next station and the prospects
ahead, to all but the experienced eye, looked
doubtful. A few passengers advised taking
to sledges, others q poStponement of the jour
ney until the weather changed, Euba Bill
alone was for pressing forward as they were.
1.-TWO miles more and we're on tho high
grade, whar tho wind is strong enough to
blow you through tho windy and j.st peart
enough to pack away over them cliffs every
inch Of snow that fails. I'll jiSt sEirmiSh
round in and out o them drifts Oh these four
wheels whar ye can't drag ono o them flat
bottomed dry goods boxes through n drift"
Bill had q California whips contempt for q
sledgc. But he was warmly seconded by
Thatcher, who had tho next best thing to ex-
p~erience, the instinct that taught him to read
character, and take advantage Of another
mans experience. Them that wants to stop
kin do So" said Bill authoritativGy, cutting
the Gordian knot; them rs wants to take a
slcdgo can do so, thar's one i'll TIC barn.
Them as wants to so on with me and tho
relay will como on" Mr.. Wiles selected the
sledgc and a driver, a few remained for tho
next stage, and Thatcher, with w others,
decided to accompany Yuba Bill. These
changes took up some valuable time; and the
storm continuing, tho stage was run under
TIE she'd, the passengers gathering around the
station FIRE; and not until after midnight did
Yuba Bill put in the relays. ~ wish you a
good journey" said WiloS, as he drove from
tho shed as Bill entered. Bill vouchsafed no
reply, but, addressing himself to the. driver,
said CURLY, rs if giving an order for the de-
livery of goods, "Shove him out at Rawlings"
and passed contemptuously around to tho tail
board of the sled, and returned to the harness
ing of his relay.
The moon came out and shone high as Yuba
Bill once moro took the reins in his hands.
Tho wind, which instantly attacked them as
they reached the level, seemed to make the
drivers theory plausible, and for half a mile
tho road bed was swept clean, and frozen
hard. Further on q tongue Of snow, extend
ing from u bowldcr to the right, reached
across their path to tho height of two or three
feet. But Yuba Bill dashed through a part
Of it, and by sldllful ~mansuvcring circum-
vented the rest. But even as tho obstacle
was passed, tho coach dropped with an