The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-11-30

MS way carefully through the thin under
brush among the hemlocks. in thick dark
ed to me very long time that we journey
ed thus. In reality it must have been only
few minutes. When We stopped, the
leader said:
Here's kind of an open place; let's
hold up here. Bill. where's that candle?''
match, and saw Bill lighting q piece Of
candle from which he had unrolled q bit OF
newspaper. Looking around me, BY the
light Of this candle, WAS not slow to rec
ognize the place. We were in the path Of
which have spoken, on q little plateau
Just above the brook. Indeed the soft rip
pie of waters could be heard at no great
distance from rs.
I / now for the first time recognized the two
men as those whom I had seen step from
the stage-coach ut the crossing, and knew
instinctively that they had followed me for
the purpose Of robbing the mail. The one
addressed az Andy had already laid the mail
open jack-knife poised in one hand, was
was passing the thumb and forefnger of the
other hand carefully along the leather sur
face, as if considering the proper point for
the blade to penetrate. had seen butchers
do the same thing before outing up side
OF beef, and the similarity OF movement
was now very suggestive.
Here goesv' he said finally, pushing the
knife point firmly into the leather; then,
with strong, dextrous sweep, he drew the
blade down lengthwlse of the bag, and laid
1t open nearly from top to bottom.
Give the candle to the boy. Bill" he
said, land you help me sort this stuff over.
Il here, here whore can see. II you move
1t an inch rll-rM ex-communioate you!''
With trembling hand, teeth chatterin0 in
my head, and too greatly overcome with
astonishment and fear to speak. ] sat and
held the faring candle while he spread
poured the contents Of il to the ground.
The packages Of papers were quickly cast
aside and the bundles Of letters taken M.
In those days each separate bunch of letters
was carefully folded in brown wrapping
paper. and the post-ofics address
placed on the outside before entrustinR it
to the mail bag. These wrappers were
pulled hastily of by the robbers and the
letters enclosed in them were looked over
rapidly, many of them being torn open be-
fore they were thrown down. Nearly the
entire contents Of the mail bag were gone
over in this way before any money was
pointed and angry. AZ last Andy came
upon thick envelope of brown MANILA
paper, with a seal of red wax on the back.
Hero it ist' he said, holding it mp tri-
umphantly for Bill to see. II knew l
couldn't be mistaken about it being here,
Bob told me: you know. and Bob always
He had risen to his feet in the meantime.
scattering the remainder Of the letters from
him disdainfully, had opened his coat ma
was about to put the package into an inner
Hold ons' exclaimed his comp.n,or.
rising also. "Open it up, Andy; lets ~
how much there Il in it. anyway"
NOh, that's all right was the reulv. ~
know how much there il in it. Well Oman
It when We get to safer place. Come. let'a
fx the boy and get out o. this.''
trembled till the candle nearly dronred
from my hand. What did no mean by 6x-
ing the boy2 Ipresume ! should have becnn
70 cry and beg again had not Bill spoken m
threateningly: ~
Look here, Andy! That's the trick -,
played the last time. You pocketed AZ
swag an held Oh am spent it, an' heId IN
an spent Il till it turned ont didn,t 0;t
more'n half my fair share. That,a nlavsi
out. want divvy on this, and vsnt Il
now" "As ~
Andy looked at him coolly minute b.
fore replying.
"You had your fair share Of evervtb;ro
that wasn't spent in common" IS IsniieS
q Iass. Now don't b fool, Bin. III
keep the money. an when 10 net to 1 safe
Pf4aoe your havs what belongs to you."
his pocket, but before hs could Ia - R;ii
had seized his arm. .Diyide.o Il aid
grgmy. Il say divide, an do it now
Even in tho dim light Of the Aarinc ca,.
de could - The rsd and vhite pesaion
glowing IN Andy's faoe.
sHands Of, yoa dogy" b wjed. .shands
NJ q III hurt yoas