The morning call., 1891-06-26

here reached To her shoulders she heard the
rumbling stage-cOach coming around the
bend close to her. Withsthe despairing re-
solve to 90 in at least with the stage If she
could not before it she pushed her parasol
through the bushes and waved il to the
driver, shouting at the same time, hoarse
from her excitement
'StOpl StopV
But to her establishment and dismay, In
stead Of stopping, the driver reached down
into the boot, and with "Cuss yer, take
itp' threw G heavy box into the road and,
flashing his four-in-hand into run, dlsap-
peaTed down the canyon.
Poor Frank crouched down into the chap
aTTal in DESPAIR.
''Oh, dearl l haven't walked there and
I've lost the stage, and poor Charlie-oh,
dear mep'
The spirit OF genuine California girl is
not easily overcome with despair. and
Frank was q genuine California girl, and
she was not TO be beaten until she was. She
got up, pulled her black veil tighter over
heI moist face and bravely started On again
to LOgtown. II was not far and not half
hour elapsed before she saw the lights of
the little camp scattered around in the can
y0n below her.
BTeathless and painting she hurried on to
the tavern. A great crowd of men were
eXcitedly swearing and threatening on the
porch. q Some were in the street cinching
stood Black Pete, the stage-dTiveT.
Don't l knOw? he was angrily shouting.
q tell yer twar only mile back, an Their
cuss showed his shooting iron right under my
nose. Why didn't Irun fer it? Thar war
two Nv 'em thar, as sure as fghtin'."
Pretty soon, with yell and a whoop,
twenty men gailoped up the road with sug-
gestiveIooking rope dangling from one Of the
saddles
Poor Frank fastened to find Charlie. She
found him sitting discOnsOlately on the back
porch.
why, Frank. what in the world are you
doing here?"
"0b, Charlie, have you sold that mine
yet? Am / too late ?"
Too late for what? Sold itP No, and 1
don't believe | can. That man Bonn sent
the money up by express, and a road agent
got away with the stage tonight, and the
money went with it. l do not believe he'll
risk another thousand on a played out
mine"
"Ob, goodieP' cried Frank. "Pve got
here in time. Road agentl That is too rich!
Oh, dear, | shall dep and Franks voice
ended in a high squeak of laughter.
Frank, what is the matter? What do
yOu know about the road agent %
Frank was holding her sides in despair of
stopping her irreDresSible laughter.
Road agent? There wasn't any road
agent at al; l stopped the stage to get on,
and the driver threw box at me-"
What does this mean FrankP Tell me.
What were you doing on the road at this
time of night, all alone?"
1t took long time TO get the story out
but she did, while Charlie stood with his
mouth open wide enough to represent his
playtd-0ut claim with ten thousand dollars
in sight
No sooner had Frank told her story than
he caught her in his arms with a wild shout.
You little darling, you shall have every
cent of it.
About two hours afterward a file Of dis
consulate, disguised hOrsemen selected their
way up to the tavern, with a suggestive
rope dangling from one of the saddles" and
a box containing one thousand dollars.
1t is sufficient to relate that Charlie did not
sell his "ten thousand dollars in sight,"
but, on the contrary, received a much larger
sum; sufficient, IN fact, to make him hap
pier man financially and matrimOnially.
When enough OF the story had been told in
the bar-ToOm to account for the stopping of
the stage, Black Pete had to provide for a
smile ali around. with a cOntinuendU.-
Selected.