Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-10-01
ANNAPOLIS. ND. TUESDAY EVENING. OCTOBER l. 1889.

commission Of atrocities moro dreadful
even than those / had pictured.
Where 20 conceal tho treasure she
knew not; first she tried her boot, but she
called to mind my story Of the party who
had been hung up by the heels. and 50 con-
sidered THAT too insecure hiding place;
her pocket was equally unsatisfactory,
though ] believe that to the average
man the mystery Of the exact location Of
q woman's pocket is-one no ages viii re-
veal At last. iuapelled thereto by the
failure Of all other means of conceal
ment. she begged that would find some
method Of preserving It, not so much on
account Of its intrinsic value and the fear
Of losing it. as lest tempted thereby our
lnomentarily expected visitants might
prosecute too diligent search for further
plumber. and finding nothing, revenge
themselves on us for their disappoint-
ment verify believe that the idea Of
tossing 1t out of the stage window passed
through her mind
She had but just passed the ring to my
hand, and | had involuntarily put my
fingers with it into my right lower waist
coat pocket. when the ominous "Haltt'
and that unmistakable steely "click
click" of weapons sounded in our ears
suppose it must have been the fact
of my fingers coming in contact with the
tobacco in my pocket that begat within me
the inspiration to convey to my mouth
the ring and plug together. and bite from
the latter piece large enough to satisfy
the most quid-loving of sailors. This !
instantly began to masticate after the
approved fashion of baekwoods justice.
my cheek standing out as If affected
with an acute attack of the lnumps
Both doors of our conveyance were
opened simultaneously. and the lady
shrieked amain as revolvers covered us
ON each side. and we were required to
descend. But very few words passed.
Our assailants were four in number,
not bad looking fellows on the whole.
and while one kept his .'gun" in too close
proH4mity to my head For comfort. an
other ransacked my pockets and relieved
me of the few valuables | carried. The
same process would have been gone
through with in the case of their other
victim had her pockets been findable. AS
it was, she yielded up her pocketbook.
ear rings and personal baggage with the
docility of tanned Katherine obeying
the orders of her Petrucslio All the
while | was expectorzting with the
vehemence of an engine vomiting forth
smoke, but such a habit was too COM
mon in those parts TO attract attention,
and my cigars and tobacco had with the
rest Of my belongings already found
their way into the possession of our war
rantless searchers.
Perceiving that such documents as
carried were wholly valueless to them,
and satisfying themselves that carried
no negotiable paper, they handed me
back cigar with an earnest admonition
TO forsake the tobacco habit 20. irony Of
fateD, and with the most courteous of
apologies to the lady for the inconveni-
ence they had been obliged to infIict
mounted and galloped off, leaving us
not much poorer then they found us.
On regaining the stage, the feelings
that had begun to creep over me during
the search finally prevailed and over
RON "a CA A4ACs eAAAA NcA1 u I4AJ NO4NCy L4A8
from my mouth to my pocket the filthy
mass that concealed a jewel more pre-
cious than that supposed to be incased
in the head of the fabled toad, leaned
my bead far out of the window Of the
vehicle, now again on its journey, and
regardless of everything. gave free vent
to my pent up misery. Ye gods, how
sick wasl Ny head seemed to be the
crater Of volcano, and my stomach
was the horrid interior which seethed
and ragged with fury indescribable
The rest Of our way was pursued in
quiet. but to this day | suffer at inter-
walls and In fancy only. but with won
derfully natural vividness and poig-
nancy, the agony and wretchedness Of
those few moments.
That constituted the only heroic deed
Of my life. and am proud of it; yet /
have since vowed that no tortures a
highwayman could inflict could ever
equal those occasioned by my flrst and
only chew.--N. II. Castle in Overland
Monthly.