Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-03-11
Wouldn't it serve

them just right, if
The white dust of the desert rolled up
from the mustangs hoofs in little puffs.
and sprays of it, powdery fine, followed
the turn of the wheels halfway up, there
to be caught by the breeze and drifted
behind in long cloud that followed the
blackboard like haunting spirit Some
times, as the light breeze shifted, 1t came
back upon the blackboard and its driver
like heavy thoughts on the conscience OF
guilty man.
1t would serve them just right! Be-
sides that, only think-ten thousand!
What would the people down IN Mexico
or Guatemala, where he would ny, know
or care if somebody up in far-oH Nevada
had dumped box off his blackboard and
gone back and got it after few days
maybe a week. 1t would have to be
dark night, wouldn't it2 You couldn't
90 and get box like that in the day
time and take it anywhere, for the whole
country would be out looking for the
man who had it. Maybe month. That
would be better. It would all blow over
by that time. Let's see, would it? Ten
thousand was good deal. Those stage
shoppers were always striking the box on
the wrong day. They never got so much
as that at one haul. In two months, then
perhaps two months. But it would
have to be well-hidden.
And the thought stuck to him, despite
all attempts to keepit off, though by the
time he had driven the mustangs into
Red Canyon, his indignation at having
been suspected by the company had died
down. The box at his feet had taken on
a new meaning for him. It meant smart
gowns for his wife. It meant a good
schooling for the children. Those fse
little ones had had hard "rustle" of it
to get what few scra ps of learning they
had thus far managed to clutch; and, as
for clothes, they were dressed like juVe-
nile scarecrows. Yes, all tie hard scratch
ing would be over if he dared to do what
many another hard-pushed man had
done. Resolving the whole matter down
to plain, clear cut proposition, it was,
after all, simply question of ''nerve."
Here was the place to do it. Right
here, where the high, scraggly rocks,
with the patches of sage-brush atop,
came so near to the blackboard. It
could be thrown over there-anywhere-
into the sage-brush. 1t would be as
weIl-concealed as though buried in six
feet of earth. The blackboard had
reached the top of long down-grade.
Zach put or the brake and twisted the
reins about the brake-handle. AS if
about to take a plunge into ice-cold
water, he reached down for the box.
But wait bit. He took off his big
sombrero and hung it on a projecting
he sent bullet through the brim of the
hat, which he then replaced on his head.
Though it had been hot enough when he
started out from Thimble Spring there
seemed to be chill in the air just now.
Would they believe the story that he
would have to concoct, even though be
showed them the hole in the hat-brim?
What would he care whether they did or
not2 They already suspected him. If he
had the name, he might as we'll have the
game. He looked at the spot where the
sage-brush clustered thickest, and made
a mental throw or two in tentative way,
in order to ''get the distance"
Then he laid two nervous hands on
the box. He gave little tug. How
heavy it was! Gould it be tossed over
there, after all? It might have to be
carried. He lifted it upon the seat.
''Via Thimble Spring Stage Line" What
was the sense in putting on such direc-
ton as that? 1t was the only way 1t could
go. The only way. And that way was
now closed, for he was about to-
"God, KANT they trust you--you,
Zach Springer. KANT they trust Old
Zach?" he burst out, hoarsely. eyes,
but why don't they do as any other decent
mimi comply does-tu1n their stuff
into the bank at Frisco, arter it's mint
ed? What do they want on it up thar2"
Well, after all, that was their business.
But he couldn't be trusted. What would
Bill say? Bill was an honest man. He /
would blush with shame every time his |
brothers name was mentioned after that |
for, of course, he would know. Sue
would never suspect. Any kind of
story would bamboozle her. Bill was
smart. He could put two and two to.
gether as quickly as any man in the
country. And yet Bill himself was lit
tie reckless sometimes. He had been !
acting very queer of late, and had been
over to Johnson's a good deal, drinking
and playing cards with the boys. That
would not do. Bill must be looked af-
ter. He was only young fellow-a