The united opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1881-1970, 1892-03-25
THE ROAD AGENT.

| common consent stage. which ran be-
tween Bokey's and Logtown, was crawl
ng up the long grade which corkscrewed
around to the summit of Pilot Knob 1t
was necessary to do this in order that a
good preparatory start might be had for
The succeeding rafting plunge down
the other corkscrew road, which led to
Logtown.
By the side of Black Pete, the driver,
Sat an eastern importation of the genus
drummer Pete rolled his tobacco into
his cheek, snapped a fly off the ear of his
leader and said:
No, sir, don't git no pay fer fightin,
and J don't do no figbtin for Their COM
pany If airy galoot stops this hyer
stage and perlitely like asks for the cash
box, he's gwine ter get it, Taint no
use, no ways, to fight them fellers: they
always hev Their drap on ye.
But, said the drummer, "were you
ever robbed on this routeY
Wal no. but I've seed fellers loafng
round heer ez I've thought mought do it
some time or other.
And if they did stop you, you would
give them the express box and drive on,
eh?
You bet! If Their express company
wants to perfect Their box they must send
a messenger along with it.
The stage crawled slowly up to the
top of the hill. and Black Pete settled his
foot firmly on the brake strap, and with
a Scat EN-. bOys!" the sweating horses
started to investigate the mysteries of
the almost invisible road below them on
a keen gallop
Round and round the rapidly varying
road the stage and passengers whirled,
sometimes losing sight Of the horses
around the sharp turns and again slew
ing sharply outward toward the danger
GUS edge of the canyon, which yawned
below them The sun was down and
the moon was painting weird shadows
on the powdered dust of the grade.
1t was just the time for the magma
ton to picture scenes of violence, rob
berry and blood Suddenly the chapar-
raj bushes by the roadside slightly part
ed, and a long. shining. black object
was waved over them toward the stage
A shadowy figure rose in the moonlight
among the bushes. and from behind
black veil which sm0thered the voice
somewhat, came the hOarse command:
Stop! Stop
Black Pete hurriedly pushed his foot
heavily down upon the brake, reached
down into the bottom of the stage,
pulled out the express box and threw it
into the road, muttering:
"Cuss ye take it,
The restless horses Immediately plung-
ed away into the shadows Of the forest.
"Wa-was that highwayman" gasp
ed the drummer
"ln course 1t was, answered Pete.
Didn't yer see ther shooting iron2 Thar
goes a cool thousand dollars, as knows
now You bet ther boysll be out arter
him tonight. | shouldn't wonder if that
war old Bart himself He's cool one,
he is He always shoots his mouth off
in some poetry He leaves it in the box
when he gets through with it. Didn't |
yer notice how level he held that thar
iron right toward me?'
The lights of Logtown now glistened
below them. and a few turns of the cork
screw road brought the stage up to the
hotel porch where it stopped with a loud
"Whoaw from Pete
Not many minutes elapsed before the |
prophecy Of Pete was realized, for as
soon as the story of the bold robbery of |
Wells & Fargo's box was related dozen
Or so ready miners volunteered to search
he woods for the road agent. After half
IN hours swearing and drinking over
he matter they saddled their horses and
started for the scene of the robbery.
1t was IA little, cramped up, heller
kelter mining town among the Sierras.
)ne need not rise early in Scars Hole to
zee the sun rise. for he will not see it if he
loes. Old Sol is never visible there un-
il 10 in the morning The rough, pic
cabins. looking for all the world
ike dilapdated dice thrown at random
rom the box. were built deep down in a
lole between the surrounding peaks.
And yet they actually had telephone
them with the outside world
The denizens of Scars Hole were not
,iven to an indulgence in business COM
with the great commercial
enters, but their telephone was the
means of preventing many of the in
abitants from spending the remainder
f their early days at the insane asylum.
Such was their Unborn detestation of
ny man who followed any pursuits
Which did not require active labor with
is hands. and such was their chivalric
eviction to the fair sex that the man
cement of their part of the telephone
yas given to young lady of the name
f Frances Goldsmith.
On the afternoon of June 30, 1880,
Hiss Frank. rs she was usually called,
1t in the little telephone office waiting {
II the nightly crowd of manly gossip
rs to come to it The little rocking a
hair in which she sat went humping to c
nd fro noisily and nervously upon the
inc floor and the tiny shppered foot 4
eat a nervous tattoo In unison with 1t. a
"It's too bad. she cried, impetuously,
for Charlie to work down in that old o
81. I N