Los Angeles herald., 1891-10-30


out of the wonderful little instrument.
For goodness sakel who is he talk
ing to2 Oh. y-e-si why, it must be to
Frank Downey, the express agent at
Bokey They've been talking together,
and Downey has stopped and switched
my end on. Motley is a schoolmarm, is
he? There's $1O,0OOi in sight and Charlie
doesn't know It. and the money is going
up there on the stage from Bokey to-
night Oh. dear! what shall do? I'll
go up there. l will It's only eight
miles, and it's twenty from Bokey tt;
5 o'clock and the stage gets there at 9. >
Frank was California girl, and there
was no perils to her on the eight mile
trail to Logtown; and if there had been
the slur cast upon Charles keennes;
and the eager desire to save that $40, 00C
in sight" for him, would have been suff
cient incentives to induce her to dare
them, though she knew they awaited
her Running over TO the postofice
she hurriedly engaged the young clerk
to take care of the instrument for her,
and. dashing back to her room, soon ap-
peared ready for the eight mile walk to
Logtown
The sun was yet very hot, although al
most down behind the hills. The trail
was steep and rocky; but Frank pushed
on. muttering to herself, when she felt
so tired she was tempted to sit down
and rest
"Charlie's a schoolmarm. is he? Ten
thousand dollars in sight, and he doesn't
know it, eh? Well, he shall know it
and have all the credit of the discovery
too--there, now"
Up. up, down, down, around and
around wound the mountain trail, and
Frank wound with it, until tired, dusty,
breathless, hoarse and almost crying.
she saw the county highway in the SOM
Der moonlight just below her.
Just as she reached the roadside and
was about to push through the chapar-
raj which here reached to her shoulders
she heard the rumbling stagecoach com
ing around the bend close to her. With
the despairing resolve to go in at least
with the stage if she could not before it
she pushed her parasol through the
bushes and waved it to the driver,
shouting at the same time, hoarse from
her excitement:
"Stopl Stopr'
But to her astonishment and dismay,
instead of stopping the driver reached
down into the boSt, and with "Cuss
yer take it2' threw heavy box into the
road and lashing his four-in-hand into a
run. disappeared down the canyon
Poor Frank crouched down into the
chaparral in despair.
"Oh, dear! | haven't walked there
and I've lost the stage, and poor Charlie
oh, dear mel"
The spirit of q genuine California girl
is not easily overcome with despair, and
Frank was genuine California girl, and
she was not to be beaten until she was. She
got up, pullen her black veil tighter over
her moist face and bravely started on
again to Logtown It was not far, and
not a half hour elapsed before she saw
the lights of the little camp scattered
around in the canyon below her.
Breathless and painting she hurried on
w bllO n SlCdb ClOW0 VI I1O1
were excitedly swearing and threaten
ing on the porch. Some were in the
street cinching saddles on to their horses,
and in their midst stood Black Pete, the
stage driver.
Don't know?" he was angrily shout
ing. 81 tell yer twar only mile back,
an ther cuss showed his shooting iron
right under my nose. Why didn't run
fer it? Thar war two Nv 'em thar, as
sure as fghtin."
Pretty soon, with a yell and a whoop,
twenty men galloped up the road with a
suggestive looking rope dangling from
one of the saddles.
Poor Frank hastened to find Charlie
She found him sitting disconsolately on
the back porch
"Why, Frank, what in the world are
you doing here?"
"Oh, Charlie, have you sold that mine
yet? Am too later"
TOO late for what? Sold it? No; and
don't believe | can. That man Benn
sent the money up by express, and road
agent got away with the stage tonight
and the money went with it. | don't
believe he'll risk another thousand on a
played out mine"
"Oh, goodieE cried Frank. 1--WE got
here in time. Road agentl That is toe
richl Oh, dear, shall dieW Franks
voice ended in high squeak of laughter
Frank, what is the matter? What dc
you know about the road agent?"
Frank was holding her sides in despair
of stopping her irrepressible laughter.
Road agent? There wasn't any road
agent at all. stopped the stage to gel
on, and the driver threw a box at me-"
"What does this mean, Frank? Tel
me. What were you doing on the road
at this time of night, and all alone?"
1t took a long time to get the story
out, but she did, while Charlie stood
with his mouth open wide enough to
represent his played out claim with
1910, 900 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'll"
About two hours afterward file of
disconsolate, disgusted horsemen select
ed their way up to the tavern, with a
Suggestive rope dangling from one of
the saddles" and a box containing 81 900.
1t is sufficient to relate that Charlie
did not sell his ''S10. 900 in sight" but.