Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1888-02-18
SNOW BOUND AT EAGLES
EY BRET HARTE.
copyrighted by Houghton, Miffn & Co., and
published by arrangement with them.l
age OF greenbacks which we TOOK from Col.
Cn;,,nh in the Sierra coach but which was

holders of the Excelsior DILch. We have no
right to say what you should do with it, but
if YOU aren't tired of following the same line
of Justice that induced you to run after us
YOU will try to restore it to its rightful own
eTS
"We leave you another trihe as an evidence
that our intrusion into your affairs was not
without some service to you, even if the SER
vice was as accidental as the intrusion. You
will find pair of boo,s in the corner of your
closet. They were taken from the burglari-
Gus feet of Manuel, your peon, who, believ
ing the three ladies were alone and at his
mercy, entered your house with an accom-
plice at o'clock on the morning of the 2lst,
and was kicked out by
"Your obedient servants,
GEORGE LEE & EDWARD FALKNER."
Hales voice and color changed ON reading
this last paragraph. He turned quickly
toward his wife; Kate flew to the closet,
where the mufiled boots of Manuel confronted
them. ave never knew it. l always sus-
pected something that night, said Mrs Hale
and Mrs. Scott in the same breath.
"Thats all very well and like George Lees
high fautin," said Stanner, approaching the
table, "but as long ez the greenbacks are
here he can make what capital he likes outer
IujIutl L IL tlOIblC Ou " peloo ONSl LueiO
package"
Excuse me" said Hale, "but believe this
is the package taken from Col. Clinch. Is it
not97 he added, appealing to the colonel
ut is" said Clinch
"Then take it, said Hale handing him the
package. "The first restitution is to you, but
l believe you will fulfill Lees instructions as
well as myself"
But" said Stanner, furiously interposing,
"pve a warrant to seize that wherever found,
and dare you to disobey the law"
"Mr Stanner," said CInch slowly, "there
are ladies present If you insist upon having
that package l must ask them to withdraw,
and I'm afraid you'll find me better prepared
to resist q second robbery than | was the first.
Your warrant, which was taken out by the
express company, is supplanted by civil pro-
ceedings taken the day before yesterday
against the property of the fugitive swindler
Harlna You should have consulted the
sheriff before you came here"
Stanner saw his mistake. But in the faces
of his arinning followers he was obliged to
keep lp his buster. "Tou shall hear from
me again, sir" he said, turning on his heel.
II beg your pardon" said Clinch grimly,
''but do l understand that at last | am to
have the honor
You shall hear from the company's law
yers, sir" said Stanner, turning red, and
noisily leaving the room.
"And so, my dear ladies'" said Col. Clinch,
''you have spent a week with ahighwayman
say a highwaymGn, for it would be hard to
call my young friend Falliner by that name
for his first ofIense, committed under great
provocation and undoubtedly instigated by
Lee who was an old friend of his, and to
whom he came, no doubt, in desperation"
Kate stole triumphant glance at her sis
ter, who dropped her lids over her glistening
eyes. "And this Mr. Lee" she continued
more gently" is he really a highwayman"
"George Lee" said Clinch, settling himself
back oratorically in his chair, my dear young
lady, is a highwayman, but not of the COM
mon sort, He is Il gentleman born, madam,
comes from one 4 he oldest families of the
eastern shore Of =. yland. He never mixes
himself up with anything but some of the
biggest rikes, and he's an educated man.
He is very popular with ladies and children;
he was never known to do or say anything
that could bring blush to the cheek of
beauty OF a tear to the eye of innocence l
think I may say I'm sure you found him
So"
~ shall never believe him anything but a
gentleman" said Mrs. Scott firmly.
"If he has defect it is perhaps too reck-
less indulgence in draw poker" said the
colonel musingly; mot unbecoming gentle
man, understand me, Mrs Scott, but perhaps
too reckless for his own good. George played
grand game, glittering game, but pardon
me if say an uncertain game. I've told
him SO; it's the only point ON which we ever
differed"
"Then you know hima" said Mrs Hale,
lifting her soft eyes to the colonel.
~ haze that honor"
"Did his appearance, Josephine" broke in
Hale, somewhat ostentatiously, appear to
--er-er-correspond with these qualitiesl
You know what l mean."
ale certainly seemed very simple and
NATURAL" said Mrs, Hale, slightly drawing
her pretty lips together "He did not wear
his trousers rolled up over his boots in the
company of ladies, as you're doing now, nor
did he make his first appearance in this
house with such hat as you wore this morn
ing, or / should not have admitted him."
There were few moments Of embarrassing
silence.
DO you intend to give that package to
AR Falkner yourself, colonel| asked Mrs,
Scott
Il shall hand it over to the Excelsior COM
pany," said the colonel, "but | shall inform
Ned Of what have done"
Then" said Mrs Scott, "will you kindly
take message from us to himP
IF you wish it."
"Hou will be doing me a great favor, colo
mel, said Hale, politely.
Whatever the message was, six months
later it brought Edward Falkner, the re-
established superintendent of the Excelsior
Ditch, to Eagles Court AS he and Kate
stood again on the plateau, looking toward
the distant slopes once more green with veI-
dure, Falkner said: