Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1892-02-26
The Man with q Plan.

There were FIVE OF us in the stage
and a sixth man had a seat with the
driver. There was second lieuten-
ant. a civil engineer aud the rest of
Us were only common folks who had
been out in the hills prospecting and
were returning broken in hopes and
busted in pocket. The engineer
was a little man OF feminine appear
ance, aud We hadn't been together
hour when he confessed that the bare
thoughts of the stage being held up
made him trem ble all over. The officer
was a quiet sort Of chap. who seemed
to have plenty Of nerve, aud though
none OF us had much 10 lose, we by
and by agreed in ease the stage was
held We would make fight for it
All were new TO "A hold up, but We de-
cidtd if we had any show al all We
could make il hot for the road agents
The little man at first agreed with
our plan as formed, but later on he
broachel one OF his own. The driver
told us that the point most likely to
be selected by the highwaymen would
b.. At a rough spot in the road. just
/ before il reached certain hill, and
we were about five miles from the spot,
aud darkness had fully descended
when the little man unfolded his
plan When within u mile ofthe spot
/ he was 10 follow the stage on foot. In
case it was stopped he would be in a
position TO sight the robbers and open
/ fire at once.
/ We jumped on him at once Tor a
| funk. Ii was simply scheme on his
/ part To bolt and save his dollars in
case tie road agents appeared, and
each one gave him his opinion ofsuch
conduct in very vigorous English. IL
his soft, gentle way he replied:
"Gentlemen, you do me injustice.
Please suspend judgment until you
see how my plan works | do assure
you that firmly expect to kill arobber
and save the stage
/ We were too disgusted to argue
with him. and when he finally got out
/ in accordance with his plan the army
/ officer was fain TO make a kick AZ him.
! We couldn't tell whether he had
| bolted back down the road or WAS fol
lowing on, but we got all ready for n
hold up. Every one ofus had revolver
| in hand aud every one was on the
watch, and yet IL came about before
we knew il. The horses wer' still at
/ a walk, when Il man appeared at
either door OF the stage aud covered
us. At the same moment third
stopped the leaders aud COZ cred tile
| driver and passenger with shot gun.
/ Ii was simply dead cinch Oh us, aud
we were not over ten seconds realizing
/ IT, We had just got the order To hand
up our guns step out, when there
was a pop! pop! pop! from the outside.
! The brigand at the right hand window
cried out and fell; tn. one at the left
hand window disappeared without u
sound. There were three shots more
from the front OF the stage, and hall
"A minute later, and before any OF us
had moved, we heard the little man
saying:
Gentleman, it is a over aud you
can come out
What had happened' There was
dead man on one side OF the coach
and seriously wounded one on the
other. and the third brigaDd nad been
driven away, probably bit by at least
one bullet All this had been done
! by the little man aud his little gun,
according 10 his plan. aud what made
II worse for us he didn't appear TO
have done ANYTHING 10 feel proud
over. We tried TO square Ourselves
with him but il couldn't be done.
While he seemed 10 forgive us, we re-
allied what his real private opinion OF
five such chumps must be and we got
away from him at the fret stop.