Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-12-11

stagecoach, which had evidently seen
many years Of rugged service, bounded
along the rough track that wound up q
deep, dark gorge in the Sierra Nevada
mountains. Now it swung to tho right,
now TO the left. now giving great lurch
forward as the front wheols dropped in
70 rut, now oreadng aud grooming like
come live thing in terrible pain, aud
ever and anon tipping up ON one side
and threatening TO turn over and roll
down some steep embanlymont
There were four passengers in tho
coach, two Of them men OF about tho
middle age, whose appearance md Rarb
showed them to DO frontiersmon, owl
IDENTIFY miners, and a very old lady, who
was exceedingly small and nervous, but
patient and good natured withal, and
the other little girl Of perhaps seven
years. very beautiful and demure, and
seemingly very much afraid.
There was not much opportunity for
conversation, for tho stage made enough
noise 10 drown any ordinary tone Of
voice. and then the passengers had al
they could do 10 keep themselves seHtod.
Once or twice tho men hnd attempted 10
exchange a word or 3d. but scarcely had
they begun 10 speak when tho stage gayo
a sudden lurch aud cut their remarks
short
The old Indy, although she WIS thin
and frail and nervous, bore all the rough
1olting and humping uucomplniningly,
and as often as the mon turned their eyes
toward her they saw happy, satisfied
smile Lighting up her wrink,ed features.
Where could she have come from? they
wondered and where could she be go
ing-shB and the child? II was evident
that they did not belong there Ia that
rough now country; that thoy worO
strangers TO tho rugged habit. nd semi.
civilized life Of the wester miners.
They were delicate. refined and vol
Observation-Disclosures that did not belong
20 thoao who had been long in a mining
camp Ia the far west
Tho two men scrutinized their fellow
passengers silently and intcntly for
long time and once or twico something
like a nigh escaped them. Finally the
hiuge reached % stretch OF comparatively
smooth road, where it was possible TO
cpayorso with tolerablo oaso. Tho men
drew closer together, and ono Of them
Eaidi
Jack, tho sight Of that old Indy aud
child makes mo sad;yot it docs me good.
II taken my thoughts right bacl, 10 tho
old hgmo IN the east, and brings M ro-
membranes Of the friends / have not
seen for 80 long"
'Juft what / WAS thinking, joe the
other replied. Tho old lady rominds
me Of mother, aud somehow can ~.
most imagine that It 10 she Poor OH
mother its been a long tino since /
have seen hOr, and 1 have not thought
OF her very ottou tho last two or thrao
ycnri but, doe, l1vo her vet above
everything 0u earth. / haven't yritton
70 her FOR two years. and know how
nnXiously she has watched tho mails
and how disappointed 1ho has been, and
how sho has went aud suffered. Tho
1ight Of this old lady has brought It all
back 10 mo, and tomorrow 1 am going
u write u good, long letter. Tho dear
Old soul will DO so pleased
Inc two men woro client for some
time, each looking straight ont before
him. their lips slightly trcmplons.
while y moisture gathered IN their
eyes, They We're rough, sun brongod
men with calloused hearts, but the 70.
membrailee Of the old homos and the
old mothers they had left there touched
thon and awoka IN them tho bottor part
OF their natures.
After awhile ono Of tho mon end.
denly Strengthened himself up az though
he had just awakened out OF a royerie
md turning to tho other said.
was thoro anything new up at tho
Flat when you left this mornine.n
mo" the other answered, recalling
his wandering thoughts. Nothing Of
much Importance. They had a coRple
Of road agents under arrest, and were
going TO try them this afternoon and
hang them tonight"
"so9 You don't know who the two
are?'
moi they brought them IN just as !
was leaving. They were Mexicana,
though. think"
"rhen Mart Thompson IS not ono Of
themr
mo moro's the pity, But they'll got
him
Tho old lady had suddenly sprung to
her foot and now stood before tho
miners holding 10 strap for support,
her face pale and cold, her eyes fikod in
searching gaze on the two mon. her
lips twitehing and her whole franc
wrought up 10 the highest pitch Of
nervous tension.
What was it you said about Mart
ThompsonT she cried I'm an eager yet
Htihed voice. "nid you cay Ne was
road agent aud that ho was 70 -rst-
Cd end hung Tell me, did
tLatgp
The men were startled by tho old
iady'e voice and manner, and for m in.
stAat they gazed ~ her IA stupid amaze.
mont. She ropeatod her question with
moro eagorucss, mora yshemenco, and
ono Of tho mon, recovering from his sur.
prise, replied
"Perhaps you migindefstood me. LADY.
% ilcrprpa JnHapoKe tne name. 1
should baye said Mark Thompllins.p
40 tie man spoEe aA srssaiss ..sAaa.s