The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-06-08

! NJ letch her,
II certainly did seem to have some ef-
feet, for the lady uttered asound strangely
| like chuckle, but said nothing.
Judge" said the colonel, after waiting
q reasonable time Tor an answer, I'm
afraid your langwidges have been-so to
peak-tamperod with. I've always al
lowed there was some difference between
French and Spanish myself.
The judge waxed indignant. "a jokes
a joke an all right, " he said, ''but didn't
! s'pose there was man here but knowed
! the roots Of the two langwidge was the
same, an II you can only coniinc your
! talkin' to roots an you gen rally can in
gcnteel sasscty--itmakes no odds whether
1t is French OF Spanish"
GAN right, Judge, all right" said the
! colonel soOthngly "of course, we know'd
that well an good, but man must have
| his 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 viyacity, and drawing q
silver case from her pocket took therelrom
n cigarette, which after raising her veil n
little she placed between her lips. Atlirst
we were amazed, but the colonel, with
that savoir vivrc which had always dis.
tinguished him and made him 50 popular
with the sex, quickly recovered himself
and calamity offered the lady light,
whia she grnCiousy accepted. Then muir
murs OF admiration were heard. The maj or
audibly compared her to "a butterfly and
a whip-poor-will, by gadl" The colonel
swore that "she took him, blamed II she
didn't" while the Judge repeated his for
mer opinion, and declared that "she was
| regis Cle-Op c-try from the word 60"
The professor was silent, but ! have rea-
son for believing that lac Endorsed all the
others
"What admire in lovely wimmin. 4"
said the colonel, as we sat there quietly
smoking, sis the er-ability she possesses
TO adapt herself TO circumstances, us Illus
tratcd in the above We are all friends
here coursc-so we can be comfortable,
but Pm safe in sayin' ] shall be glad to git
TO Leadvillc. That little matter OF $4,000
! got scwcd into my--judgc, sure the lady
can't understand English-my-in fact
gentlemen, my shirt" said the colonel,
frankly, again indicating the exact loca-
ton of the treasure, sis tax on my mind,
an ! want TO git it of.
Outside, the snow had ceased falling
and the dusk OF q winters evening was
slowly deepening into darkness. High up
on the slope that rose on Our right stood a
solitary pine tree, that had pushed It's way
through the rocks, aud now stood, lone
some and sad, 10y night and day, keeping
a melancholy watch on the valley The
sum- long since hidden 10 us below, shot n
ray as a goodnight message. and for an
instant the tree was ablaze; then the light
died quickly out and We were in semi
darkness again. The road wound its way
around the face Of a high cliT; on one
side lowered q wall Of rocks sheer 800 feet;
| on the other sunk an unsOundabe chasm.
! Tommy sat ON the box his two lamps lit,
and his tongue playing a rapid accompani-
mcnt to his whip. Inside, the small re.
! Hector Mt the end OF the coach only served
! 10 make the night without seem darker
than IL was. Silently We sat there smok.
ing, the ends Of our cigars alternately
glowing and diminishing in the dingy
air An unusual yolley OF oaths from the
box, cracking of whips, q shouting and
then the stopping Of the coach with a
lurch, startled III out Of our quiet Then
q shout from Tom ~ he spoke to his cat
tie, and a voice, ringing like bugle, was
heard from the rocks above.
"Comcl none o that Make n straight
haul for IL, d-n you'll Throw of that
box Lively now Put up your hands
an git down. Every one Of you, git
down.
Sorrowiully We obeycd. Tho description
the professor had given, few hours be-
fore, Of our probable sensations, was ex-
actly true. A pair Of siN-shoOtcrs, held In
the hands Of n stalwart man. whose face
was partly concealed by black mask.
fastened our descent, and In q moment We
found ourselves ranged in line, with our
hands above our heads, u meek, unhappy.
cowcd group. At one end OF the line stood
Tommy, swearing savngrly at his luck:
at the other stood the colonel. cool, i'm.
passive, dignihcd, confident in the security
Of his treasure. The last 10 descend was
the widow, but n widow no longer, for out
Of the coach spmng an actiycyoung fellow,
of slender, but sincwy build, smooth.
shaycn, dressed In the conventional garb
| Of q western rider, aud carrying In his
hand q nickcl.paicd six.shootcr. And
| this was Mn. Smith-who did not sneak
| English. Any standing near the Judge
nj that time might have heard an exclama.
! ton, both iorcihlc aud proinnc. The
| widow heard H. for with little laugh
he lor shc) touched his fingers TO his lips
and said
Hush, Judged that's cussin', an you
| draw the line, there YOU know
Aud then he proceeded 10 search the
| pockets ul his icllow.tmIclcr., ~ IL IL were
q very common place affair, which Il Ger.
| tainly wis not, aud relieving them Of their
| vluablcs his associate keeping guard
meantime Down the line he went. doing
his work quickly but carefully, but before
Ice WIS done the other began 10 grow i'm.
/ patient,
"llurry mp, Jim9" he said. "ain't YOU
most through? We're late"
IAN done but this one" said Jim, the
quondam widow, ~ he halted before the
colonel; hes got $4,000 scWcd plum 10
his shirt ] reckon III have 10 rip the old
coon open to git IT," Saving which, he
drew his knife. and with quick move.
ucnt, M II To dscmbowc the colonel,
slipped the point through his clothing.
aud with q wrench pulled out the package.
sorry 10 trouble you, GENTS said the
larger man, boWing politely, "hut | won't
dctain YOU much longer, fur | know You
want io vt To lcadville. ! hope this old
| gentleman, pointing to the rent in the
| coloncls dress, won't take cold. lie
must be carciul good men are scarce"
| The colonel snvtcd. "lon will kindly
stand just whcrc you are till | give the
Nord. There N few friends of mine
a.lookin' at NJ from them rocks and |
really wouldn'i move very much Il ! was