The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-01-27

y
stout passenger.
"Cantaccommodatc you, spoke up
the driver. at last. Its only mile
10 Kennott's ranch Keep the road
we're going a mile, and take the first
turn 10 the left. Only half mile
from there, and Kennott will keep you
till YOU are rested.
Once moro Enrique vcnturcd 20 peep
from the window. He witnessed a
sight that gave him thrill of astonish-
mcnt and terror. One Of the four
men was standing near the window,
and Enrique saw that one of his long
whiskers was hanging loose from his
face. Ii WAS evident that the man
wore false beard.
4 glance at the other three strangers
showed that they also wore an unusual
amountof hair about their faces 1t
was evident that they, too, were dis
gliised.
Scarcely had Enrique made this
etartling discovery, when their fell
low passenger with the spcctacles drew
OF his gloves, and made rs though to
leave the coach. Tho boy, CHANGING
40 him In surprise, saw that he was
fumblinC with some object i'm an inner
pocket, and the next moment lac pro
duced small revolver. His mouth
had "a fierce, set look now. and ms eyes
seemed 10 shine through his spectacles
in way that terrified the lad. Whilo
Enrique yet stared at him he dclibCr-
atclv cooked the revolver, deity
opened the coach door, and swung
himself ont upon the step
The next moment ne pointed his re
vOlver up az the messenger. Before q
word could be said, a motion made, q
pistol shot rang ont from the box. and
the man with the detached beard
dropped instantly from sight
lie on your whiskors better noXt
time. Tiger Rod" hundred the voice
of the express messenger I'm on
to your game. Give EN- the lash,
driver.
As he spoke the crack4f the heavy
stage whip sounded, dhd the coach
made q great bound forward
Meantime. how had it Jared with the
man with the spectaclesi
We have seen that he had raised his
oistol. and seemed in the very act of
iiinC IT, IL was at this precise mo-
ment that the messenger himself had
fred. and I'M doing so had changed ms
position. On firing ne had leaned far
over toward the driver, so as to avoid
q return shot. and by so doing had
taken himself out of the would-be as
sassins range And now the stage
was fying forward at a terrible pace,
and the man had much ado TO keep
his footing He managed IT after a
few seconds. and then llattened himself
as much as possibleaagalnst the coach.
This was TO avoid the return shots OF
his friends. which now came singing
past them
Taken completely by surprise by the
Get Of the messenger, and not pre-
pared for the hcadlong plunge of the
horses. they had been unable 10 make
ON effort 10 prevent the escape
The young girl sat dumb with
fright. The other women were crouch
ing in the bottom of the coach, also
tongue ted with terror, and poor little
Enrique half stood i'm ms place, his
great ewes fixed wildly on the man
with the pistol
And now the ufian seemed 70 think
o second opportunity had come.
Doubtless the messenger was IN bis
old place. and could be reached by a
bold outward swing II was evident
the effort must DE- made soon, too as
the man might look down and dis.
cover his enemy
Swiftly The wretch swung out from
the step His revolver vas once more
raised. Then came the ,lisnax OF En-
riques life He saw the pistol raised,
he saw the mans cOrdy fingers
clinchcd upon the door frame
The one supreme suggestion Of the
moment came At the boys feet
where be had kicked it about all day,
was small iron wrench STOPPING
like lightning the little hero caught II
up. swung il alolt, dashed IT down
with all his force on the clinging lin.
gers
There was a yell like that from the
throat of a dying wolf as the man
loosed his hold and fell, bruised and
manned, into the rottl, and Enrique
saw him no more. The coach rolled
On: the messenger was saved
The coach did not stop until Ken
uetts ranch was reached. Then the
driver dismounted and the women told
him the story of Enrique's opportune
act. You may be sure that both the
driver and the messenger whose lifC
.he boy had saved made much Of him
during the rest Of the trip. he was d
hero at Pcscadero for a whole week.
F. II Costellow in The Youths Com
p9niOn.