Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-03-26
A MATTER or BUSINESS.


Per Cent Of the Savings.
We We're staging from Anton Chico
TO Santc Fe, and there were SIX passeu-
gers, ali men. Every man was armed,
and one might safely judge that every
one would fight if driven TO it. One of
the passengers was a man from Rhode
Island, who said his name was Hast
ings, and after we were fairly started
he began:
Gentlemen. | have a proposition to
make. II you accept it | hope il will
be TO your benefit. II you do not,
then no harm has been done. We are
quite likely To meet with a road agent
before We get through. If so, how
many of you will fighti"
This was putting it pretty broad, but
seeing that no ~disrespect was meant,
one of the passengers looked over the
crowd and replied:
Il think every man can be depended
on"
Yes. you think so, but when the
pinch comes, the case will be differ
emit. I've been through the mill, and
I've seen a man with two revolvers 90
right down into his boots and submit
TO be kicked"
What is your propositionf"
We'll, I'm about dead broke. I
want TO engage to defend this crowd
for 10 per cent. of the money it is car
rying."
How do you meant"
why. if stopped, I'll agree to kill
or run Oft the chap who does it. lido
you pay me 10 per cent. II l don't you
pay me nothing. I'll leave it to each
man 10 size up his pile"
You must think yourself a very
brave and smart man, remarked one
of the Others.
"Oh, no, I'm not at all stuck on my
self. This is a matter of business.
! guarantee to do thus and SO. | want
you to do the same"
We chatfed hin for a while, but see.
ing how good na'ured he was. finally
agreed that If We were stopped and he
killed or drove the robber off we'd
come down with the per cent. de-
manded. Stays had been robbed on
that route, but we had no fear, and it
had come along to 5 o'clock p. m, asd
we were about TO cross a creek run
ming through a chaparral when a
voice cried Halt" and the driver
pulled up.
''Egad! but here's the AGENT"
chuckled Hastings, who had been doz-
ing for an hour. Remember the
terms, gentlemen-10 per cent. If /
save your boodle!"
Throw down your gun!" shouted
the voice, and we heard the driver
comply.
Now get down and unhitch your
horses from the stagel"
The driver was swinging himself
down when Hastings opened the right
hand door and jumped out, revolver
in hand. As tough a looking chap as
you ever saw stood at the horses
heads, a double barreled shotgun in
his hands. and he yelled at Hastings
as he saw him drop. The latter fell on
hh hands and knees. crept swiftly un-
der the vehicle, used one OF the wheel
horses TO cover him, and while the
robber was peering about TO locate
him, and at the same time warning
US not TO leave the coach, the Clam
state man rose up and sent q bullet
plumb through the fellows head. He
ran forward to finish his work, but the
robber was as dead as a herring.
Gents, 10 per cent, il you pleased"
said Rhode Island, as we piled out of
the stage, land whatever l find on the
body is mine"
He got two revolvers, a shotgun, two
gold watches and $40 in money, and
we paid him about $500 more. We felt
fiat enough, too, | a assure you, as
We had been given no show. Hastings
stripped the body, dragged it out of
the road, and took his place in the
coach with the remark;
Hope you gents are perfectly sat
isfied with my work, and if you want
TO contract for my services the rest Of
the way, I'll put EN- in at ) per cent,
which is an extremely low rate. New
VI g.