The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-09-27


a hundred dollars about me which ] don't
Is care to lose. OF course we're all friends
j here p he hastily asked.
II We were, and then it came out that
each man WAS carrying various sums of
II money ranging from five hundred to
n four thousand dollars, the last amount
r being the property of the colonel, who
described accurately how he had con-
celled 1t in a package, sewed in his
:, clothing next to his body where it was
n quite inaccessible to dishonest persons.
. 81 reckon it'll take pretty smart
/ chap to find that" he remarked com
a placenlly, as he slapped his hand on the
, spot where the treasure was concealed.
: We could not deny this and murmUrs of
- admiration were heard at his shrewd-
Y ness. All this time-in fact, since we
3 had left Sampson n's-the mysterious Mrs.
( Smith had not moved or changed her
Z position. She still kept her veil down,
and in the slowly waning light her black
l dress seemed to emphasize the shadows
in the coach.
P Judge" said the major at length, lit
/ must be lonesome for her. You're con-
sid able of lingoist couldn't you give
her little touch in the native, just to be
| perlite 2"
; The judge looked embarrassed and
scratched his head confusedly,
why. mebbc might rack out some
French" he said. sit amt much to do,
but er--what'll | say? You got to be
mighty circumspec' in talkin' French to
a lady-its a terrible free langwidSe."
B'th the military men were impressed
10y this. the colonel particularly so, and
for moment his face was expressive Of
painful perplexity.
We'll, just say somethin' civil, he
said, at length Task her If she wants
the winder up. 'Taint likely she does,
but you might ask her"
"Oh, no Colonel" said the judge.
mot that. That particular word winder
lin French"-here the judge lowered
his voice to whisper, sis cussin', and
you'll have to excuse me. That's where
| draw the Iine."
"Wel', chin your own way, them" said |
the colonel testify Though | reckon
can open winder fur lady-in French |
without breakin' any of the command |
ments. Only say sOmethin' or We'll |
think you don't know how"
This was touching the Judge on ten
der spot, and looking at the colonel with |
an air of naughty dignity, he said, slow
ly:
"If it'll amuse the boys, | reckon I'll |
take pasear, though I'm trifle rusty |
IN my langwidges just now. Had con-
sik'abIe practice, too, down III San Mi |
gell county"
Then, with soft ahem and a flourish |
of his handkerchief, he leaned forward,
and casting bewitchiDs glance at the
| lady, murmured
"BIenos dias, sonora. Habeis vOsotros
-er-that is-como e.tl vey y
The lady made no answer. in fact,
seemed not to hear, but the Judge was
in no wise di.concerred.
"Reckon she was thinkin' OF the late
lamented, and didn't wholly catch on to
my idee," he remarked, pleasantly. I'm
open another lead" and again he smiled,
as he murmurcd
"These genie emen"--indicating us
with a graceful and comprehensive
sweep-"bein gentlemen, and well &C
quainted with good sassity, have asked
me to pass their compliments to you,
maam, which now do. Er-el tempo
es helm inconstantly, selora, and esta-
er"-the judge concluded the sentence
with gesture. Its little remark in
the vernacular of the French" he ex-
planned, ian I'll reckon it'll fetch her."
1t certainly did seem to have some
effect, for the lady uttered a sound
strangely like a chuckle, but said moth
ing.
Judge" said the colonel, after wait
ing a reasonable time for an answer
"Im afraid your langwidges have been
so to speak-tampered with. I've al
ways allowed there was some difference
between French and Spanish myself"
The judge waXed indignant. "A
jokes joke an all right" he said, "but
didn't spose there was II man here but
knowed the roots of the two langwdges
was the same, an if you can only CON
fine your talkin' to roots-an' you gen
rally can in genteel sassiety-it makes
no odds whether it is. French or Spanish
IAN right, judge, all right" said the
colonel, soOthingly ''uf course, we
know'd that well an good, but man
must have bis little joke now and then.
But ask her-in your roots-if she's any
objection to smoke"
The judge, partly Modified. did not
essay this IN speech but beginning even
further back than roots" managed to
ask the question by signs. The lady
nodded her assent with vivacitv. and
drawing silver case from her pocket, |
took therefrOm a cigarette, which, after ! !
raising her veil little, she placed be-
tween her lips. At fret we were amazed,
but the colonel, with that sayOir vivre
which had always distinguished him and !,
made him SO popular with the sex,
quickly recovered himself, and CALAMITY
offered the lady a light, which she
gracefully accepted. Then murmurs of !
admiration were heard. The major |
audible compared her to "a butterfly =
and a whip poor-will, by CAD !" The col :
onel swore that she took him, blamed /
if she didn't" while the Judge repeated
his former opinion. and declared that
"she was a reg lar Cle-op-e-try from the
word GO" The professor was silent, but
| have reason for believing that he en-
dorsed all the others.
"What | admire in lovely wimmin, . y
said the colonel, as we sat there quietly !
smoking lis the er-the ability she pos
sesses to adapt herself TO circumstances. T
as illustrated in the above. We are all
friends herein course--so we can be
comfortable, but I'm safe in sayin' | 7
shall be glad to git to Leadville. The ;
little matter of $4,000 | got sewed into II
my-judge, sure the lady can't under. =
stand English-my-in fact, gentlemen,
my shirt" said the colonel, frankly, y
again indicating the exact location Of the (
treasure, lis tax on my mind, an .
want to git it off," II
Outside, the snow had ceased falling, 81
and the dusk of winters evening was
slowly deepening into darkness. High =
up on the slope that rose on our right
stood a solitary pine tree, that had a
pushed its way through the rocks, and .
now stood lonesome and sad by night o
and day. keeping a melancholy watch 81
on the valley. The sun, long since hid p
den to us below, shot ray as good 81
night message, and for an instant the u
tree was ablaze then the light died l
quickly out, and we were in semi dark lI
ness again. The road wound its way s'
around the face Of high cliff on one 1
side lowered wall of rocks sheer 300
feet on the other sunk an unsoundable n
chasm. Tommy sat on the box, his two u
lamps lit, and his tongue playing a rapid Ct
to his whip. Inside, the v
small reflector at the end of the coach o
only served to make the night without l,
seem darker than II was. Silently we u
sat there smoking, the ends of our cigars u
alternately glowing and dimming in the W
dingy AIR. An unusual volley Of oaths y
from the box, a cracking of whips. a 5,
shouting. and then the stopping of the 81
coach with a lurch startled us out of II
our quiet. Then a shout from Tom az u
he spoke to his cattle, and voice. ring Il
ing like bugle, was heard from the s'
rocks above: II
E('nma mono n, that Maka a .t r,i,h, u