Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1892-02-06
The Mari VIII 4 rLAN:
The Other Passengers Distrusted Him,
but His scheme Worked.

The Other Passengers Distrusted Him
but His scheme Worked.
There Were five of us in the stage, and
o sixth man had a seat with the driver.
There was a second lieutenant Of cav.
airy, q civil engineer, and the rest of us
We're only common folks who had beer
out IN the hills prospecting and were re
turning broken in homes and "busted
in pocket. The engineer was a little
man OF feminine appearance, and we
hadn't been together an hour when he
confessed that the bare thoughts of the
stage being held up made him trem BILE
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 We're new to 6
hold up, but we decided that if we hac
any show at all we could make it hot
for the road agents.
The little man at first agreed with our
plan as formed, but later on he preached
one of his own. The driver told us that
the point most likely to be selected by
the highwaymen would be at rough
spot in the road, just before it reached 6
certain hill, and we were about FIVE miles
from the spot. and darkness had fully
descended when the little man unfolde6
his plan. When within a 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 funk
1t was simply a scheme on his part te
bolt and save his dollars IN case the
agents appeared. and each one gave hin
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 ! do assure yor
that firmly expect to kill robber anG
save the stage"
We were too disguised to argue with
him, and when he finally got out in ac
cordance with his plan, the army officer
was fain to make kick at him. We
couldn't tell whether he had bolted back
down the road or was following on, but
we got all ready for hold up Every
one of us had revolver in hand. and
every one was on the watch, and yet il
came about before we knew it. The
horses were still at walk when mar
appeared at either door of the stage an6
covered US.
AT the same moment a third stopped
the leaders and covered the driver and
passenger with shotgun. 1t was sim
ply dead cinch on us, and we were not
over ten seconds realizing it. We had
just got the order to hand up our guns
and step out when there was popi pop
pop! from outside. The brigand at the
right hand window cried out and fell
the one at the left hand window disap
peared without sound. There were
three shots more from the front of the
stage, and half minute later, and be
fore any of US had moved, we heard the
little man saying:
"Gentlemen, it's all over, and you car
come out"
What had happened? There was a
dead man on one side of the coach and
seriously wounded man ON the other,
and the third brigand had been driven
away, probably hit by at least one bull
let. All this had been done by the little
man and his little gun, according to his
plan, and what made it the worse for US
he didn't appear to have done anything
to feel proud over. We tried to square
ourselves with him, but it couldn't be
done. While he seemed to forgive u.s.
we realized what his real private opinion
of five such chumps must be, and WI
got away from him at the first stop
New York World.