Mexico weekly ledger., 1889-02-07

age marked 81 Coz, G. O. D., is going back to
tho jewelry firm it came frsm. Here is the
silver -papered one, that means a wedding
present, and this bit of a box from Coiora-
do, that weighs like lead, is something in
the line of mineral specimens, Of course.
What woudc that express messengers are
sometimes tempted to dishonesty by the
golden stream that flows through their fin
gersf There'd De considerable pickings for
a man of that sort here. 1t may be just as
well that we are hemmed in as closely as
we are"
The young man in whose mind these
JughtslWeresrunning let his eye travel
yer tho PACKAGES once more. They were
/ there lust as they should be, and he
surned over a Eat parcel for anotheR look
at its face, dotted 4X labels, show
ing that it had passed over different lines.
Something comfortable in the look Of
it,n unused he, as he closed the safe and
turned the key. mot like that box back
there which seems to have an Internal ma
chine in it. Hard luck to the party who
gets that, if it be one, to go off in a moment,
without warning
All, hard luck for you, simple messenger,
with hat dim form standing back of you,
with uplifted club that falls without warn
ing, striking you down, leaving your trust
unguarded to the ruthless HAND of the de-
spoiler.
It was bit a moments work, for the key
was still in tho lock. The eager fingers
which lowered over the contents of the
desk fastened almost Immediately upon the
package which had been the last in the
messengers hand. Nothing else was
touched, although the cleaning eyes rested
upon the marks s.Sl,0O0 c. o. D." the dark
face bending over the safe worked in a
spasm of confiisting emotions.
"What a chance Is here!' mnttered the
thief. 'But steady-steady! Remember
the stake you are playing for. Don't let
any thing less interfere with that, my lad,
or you Will BE- left. Hist, danger-vam-
oosel"
Instantly, with the words just breathed
to himself, the man disappeared among the
piles of expressage which incumbered the
car. He had scarcely done so when a brake
man came whistling in at the door, and be-
gan poking ct the fire.
"Hello, Bergman" he called out; ''what
are you up TO, taking Il snooze on the sly1
You'd better yak up and get ready for
business. There1 DO u pretty rush when
we get Il. twenty minutes behind, and a hot
box to boot.n
The messenger had dragged himself up
BY stack of boxes, and stood wavering,
with q wild CLEAN in his eyes as he stroye
to pierce the dim length of the car.
s'Where is heln he asked, excitedly.
"Stand hard, Ike. Don't let him get
away"
ssWhere is F9ho?' demanded the brake
man, approaching, his suspicious glance
travelling over the car. II guess you're
dreaming yet. There's no one here; couldn't
be, you know
s9There is" insisted Bergman. II have
been robbed. The thief struck me down, yet
Twas not altogether senseless, and I saw
him move away us you canc in. He is here,
hidden. Looki'
He was searching himself with feyerisf
energy among tho heaped-up merchandise
but in spite Of their best efforts, no trace Of
the thief was found. Ike, who was i'm,
pressed momentarily by the others earnest
ness, grew ineredulous again.
.Pshaw, man, how could any one get in
with me at the brakes and this front dool
lookedi If there is q thief here, he has