The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1892-03-09
TIE MAN WITH A PLAN.
He Was Little. But His Scheme Was a
Great One.

There were five of us in the stage,
and a sixth man had seat with the
driver. There was second lieutenant
of cavalry, a civil engineer, and 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 little man of feminine appear
ance. and we hadn't been together an
hour when he confessed that the bare
thoughts of the stage being held up
made him tremble all over. The
officer was quiet sort of chap, who
seemed to have plenty of nerve, and
though none of us had much to lose,
we by and by agreed that in case the
stage was stopped we would make
fight for it. All were new to a hold
up, but we decided that if we had any
show at all we could make it hot for the
road agents.
The little man at first agreed with
cur plan as formed, but later on he
broached one of his own. The driver
told us that the point most likely to be
selected by the highwaymen would be
at a rough spot in the road, just before
it reached a certain hill, and we were
darkness had fully descended when the
little man unfolded his plan. When
within mile of the spot he was to get
out and follow the stage on foot. In
case it was stopped he would be in
position to sight the robbers and open
fire at once.
We jumped on him at once for a
funk. 1t was simply scheme on his
Ttt n hi n n11 1oT
the agents appeared, and each one
gave him his opinion of such conduct
in very vigorous English. In his soft,
gentle way he replied:
Gentlemen, you do me injustice.
Please suspend Judgment until you
see how my plan works. I do assure
| you I firmly expect to kill a robber
and save the stage"
him, and when he finally got out in
accordance with his plan the army
officer was fain to make kick at him.
We couldn't tell whether he had bolt.
| ed back down the road or was follow
ing on, but we all got ready for hold
up. Every one of us had a revolver in
hand, and every one was on the watch
and yet it came about before we knew
L
when a man appeared at either door Of
the stage and covered the driver anC
the passenger with shotgun. It was
simply dead cinch on US, and We
were not over ten seconds realizing it
We had just got the order to hand W
our guns and step out when there wa
a pop! pop! pop! from the outside
The brigand at the right-hand window
cried out and fell; the one at the left
hand window disappeared with
out sound. There were three shot
more from the front of the stage, ant
half a minute later, and before any o
US had moved, we heard the little mai
saying:
&Gentlemen, it's over and you cal
come out!"
What had happenedP There was
dead man on one side of the coach, an
a seriously wounded man on the other
and the third brigand had been driver
away, probably hit by at least on
bullet. All this had been done by tn
little man and his little gun, accordin
to his plan, and what made it tn
worse for us he didn't appear to hav
done anything to feel proud over. W
tried to square ourselves with him, bu
it couldn't be done. While he seemed
forgive US, we realized what his res
private opinion of five such chumr
must be, and we got away from hil
at the first stop.-N. y World.