Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1892-03-11

flew before. For Zach had grasped the
reins in grip of iron, and both his big
cowhide boots were planted firmly on the
box.
'.This ERE is what call go;n' like SIM"
he said, ten minutes later, as they were
still flying down the grade. "But lost
some time with bIamed-fool notion that
orter ben licked for ever thlnkin' on
a mint. Wal, the mustangs got good
rest. Maxim up fer it now, though.
They'll soon be in a lather. I'll git to
the halfway house In & quarter of an
hour, and then I'll take good horn. I
feel kinder narvous git. Thet ERE box
is heavy load on mans mind. Is'pose
the Superintendent up to Gold Butte is
worryin' about it, too. Never mind, oil
Teller, you'll see that stuff slowed away
in yer safe afore shutdown.
"What's thisl = hold-up, sure as
shootin'"
Out from behind tall rock, a man,
with piece OF dark calico over his face
and a very large Winchester in his hand,
had suddenly sprung, and the muzzle of
the rife looked right into Zach's big,
round eyes. The brake scraped the
wheels and make the sparks fly. The
mustangs came to sudden stand. There
was no getting by that Winchester
81 reckon you've got Their drop on me,
stranger" the driver cooliy made the re-
mark. ''Stick up my hands? In course
will, eff you insist on it; but tell yer
these ERE mustangs is mighty skittish,
an it's on ther daown-grade. So yer
needn't shoot eff they start up, fur it'll be
yer own fault. s'pose yer arter this
ERE box. Throw it out9 It's too
blamed heavy fer that. Yell hev ter
give us lift"
The man with the gun had said moth
ing; but the subtleties of the holding-up
process were not so fine but that Zach
understood every wave of the strangers
hand and every shrug of his shoulders,
when the waves and shrugs meant any
thing. Zach had been held-up before.
He of the calico mask did not step for
ward at once. In this suggestion that
he should assist in taking off the box he
seemed to suspect some trick. But one
of Zach's hands was held aloft and the
other, with the four reins in it, was
on the level of his shoulder. The man
edged up to the blackboard, exchanging
the weapon which he presented at Zach's
head for six shot revolver.
"Thanks, stranger" said Zach, with
forced merriment. 81 never like to hev
one O. them air long barreled things
p'inte1 at me. They shoot too straight.
Now, here ye are"
With his foot he showed the box along
until it was near the edge of the wagon.
"Thar it is, help yourself; but yell
find it a blamed heavy load ter pack, eff
yer goin' far-oVer forty pound"
The robbers fingers grasped the box
nervously.
"a green I'm at the biz" thought
Zach; ''mebbe thar'll be an openin' here
yit."
The robber pull ed and hauled at the
box but it would lot bulge, for it was
caught on a nail-head in the bott ON of
the wagon. In his feverish anxiety
to secure the gold, he lowered
the revolver little and grasped the box
with both hands. Swiftly Zach's right
hand fell to his hip and he whipped his
bright barreled pistol.
"Got the dead drop, stranger! It's
no go!" he shouted. Put that weepin
daown, you fool!"-for the man was
raising his pistol. "You won't? Then
take that"
A flash, report, and back fell the
robber without a moan. His fingers
clawed the dust for moment, as if he
were grasping for hold on life. But
the hold was not % be had, and he gave
it up, and lay there quietly in the dust.
The driver showed his pistol into its
holster, and wiped the sweat from his
brow. 1t had been close shave for the
box and closer shave for him.
"Takes a purity keen I'm ter git erway
with OF Zach, arter ALL" he chuckled,
springing lightly from the blackboard,
while broad smile lit up his brown face.
''This 'ere means a big raise from the
eonp'ny an hundred er two from the
Gold Butte folks. Iguess they'll think
the OF man's bout right arter this.
Hooray fur hooray! my stocks riz! It's
way up ter a hundred an fifty.
Whoop-e-ei Haw-haw- haww
He stopped down over the dead man
and lifted the bit of cloth from his face.
"Almighty God! It's Bill!"-san
Francisco Argonant.