San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-11-16

siety--it makes no odds whether it is French
or Spanish"
IAN right, judge, an right" said the
colonel soothingly; ''of course, we know'd
that we'll an good, but a man must have his
little joke now an then But ask ber-in
your roots-if she's any objection to smoke. +"
The judge, partly Modified, did not essay
this in speech, but beginning even father
back than roots, ~ managed to ask the ques-
ton by signs The lady nodded her assent
with vivacity, and drawing q silver case
from her pocket, took therefrom q cigarette
which, after raising her veil a little, she
placed between her lips At first we were
amazed, but the colonel, with the savoir
vivre which had always distinguished him
and made him so popular with the sex,
quickly recovered himself, and calamity
offered the Lady light, which she gTaciously
accepted. Then murmurs of admiration
were heard The major andibly compared
her to "a butterfly and a whip-poor-will, by
gad!" The colonel swore that ''she took him.
blamed if she didn't" while the judge re-
peated his former opinion, and declared that
''she was regular Cleope-try from the word
gn" The professor was silent, but have
reason for believing that he Endorsed all the
others.
what admire in lovely wimmin," said
the colonel, as We sat there quietly smoking
lis the er-the ability she possesses to adapt
herself to circumstances, as illustrated in the
above. We are all friends herein course
so we can be comfortable, but Pm safe in
sayin' shall be glad to git to Leadville.
That little matter Of q, 900 got sewed into
my-judge, sure the lady can't understand
English-Iny-in fact, gentlemen, my shirt"
said the colonel frankly, again indicating
the exact location of tho treasure, 'is a tax
on my mind, an ! want TO git it off"
Outside, the snow had ceased falling, and
the dusk of a winters evening was slowly
deepening into darkness High up on the
slope that rose ON our right stood solitary
pine tree, that had pushed its way through
the rocks, and now stood, lonesome and sad,
by night and day, keeping melancholy
watch on the valley. The sun, long since
hidden to us below, shot q ray as a good
night 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 cliff on one side lowered a wall of rock
sheer 300 feet; on the other sunk an unsound-
able chasnl Tommy sat on the box, his two
lamps Lit, and his tongue playing rapid &C
compartment to his whip. Inside, the small
reflector at the end Of the coach only served
to make the night without seem darker than
it was Silently we sat there smoking, the
ends of our cigars alternately glowing and
dimming in the dfngy air. An unusual vol
ley of oaths from the box, a cracking of
whips, a shouting, and then the stopping of
the coach with lurch startled us out of our
quiet Then shout from Tom as he spoke
to his cattle, and a voice, ringing like a
bugIa, was heard from the rocks above:
"Comei none o that! Make straight haul
for it, d-n you'll Throw off that boxl Lively
.nowi Put up your hands an git down.
Every one Of you, git DOWN.
Sorrowfully wo obeyed- The description
the professor had given, few hours before,
Of our probable sensations, was exactly true
A pair OF six shooters, held up in the hands
Of a stalwart man, whose face was partly
concealed by a black mask, FASTENED our
descent, and in a moment we found ourselves
ranged in line, with our hands above our
heads, meek, unhnppy, cowed group At
ono end Of the line stood the colonel cool,
impassive, digniied, confident in the security
of his treasure The last TO descend was the
widow, but a widow no longer, for out Of
the coach there sprang an active young fell
low, of slender but sinewy build, smooth
shaven, dressed in the conventional garb Of
the western rider, and carrying In his hand
nickel plated six shooter. And this was Mrs
Smith-who did not speak English. Any one
standing near the judge at that time might
havu heard an exclamation both forcible and
pTofana The widow" heard it, for with q
little laugh he tor sbe touched his finger to
has lips and said
Hush, judged that's cussin', an you draw
the. line there, you know"
And then he procee, ed to search the peck
cts Ut his fellow traV slers, as If 1t were a
ve4'y common place affair, which 1t certainly
was not, and relieve them Of their valuables,
his associate keefa guard meantime
Down the line he 'ent, doing his work
quickly bat carefully, but before be was done
the other began TO grow impatient.
Hurry up, Jimf" he said, ''aint you most
throughi We're late"
All done but this one said Jim, the
Qunndam widow, as he halted before the
colonel; ''hss got $4,000 sewed plum to his
shirt | reckon III hev TO rip the Old coon
open to git it" Saying which he drew his
knife, and with quick movement, as If to
disembowei the colonel, slipped the point
through his clothing, and with a wrench
pulled out the package
Sorry 10 trouble you, gents" said the
larger man, bowling politely, "but | won't
detain you much longer, fur l know you
want to git to Leadville. l hope tins old
genlslaL,' pointing to the rent in the col
oneis dress, won't take cold He must be
careful-good men are scarce" The colonel
sDorted "You viii kindly stand Just where
you are till | give the word There is few