Evening capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1888-1893, 1892-04-02

long n. :. ley ran. making the dust
, iy in G. ,..nyon as it never flew be
fore. For ach had grasped the reins
in a gr.p oi iron. and both his big
cowhide boe:ts were planted firmly
on the los
''Thi5 or Il what call goin belly
ty splitl' he said, ten minutes later,
as they were still flying down the
grade. But lost some time with a
blamed fool notion that l orter a-ben
licked for ever thinlxin on mint.
Wal, the mustangs got a good rest.
Maxim up fer it now, though. They'll
soon be in a lather. I'll git to the
half wayhouse in quarter Of an hour,
and then I'll take a good horn. l
feel kinder nervous yit Thet ere
box is a burned heavy load on
mans mind. l s'pose the sup'rin
tendent up to Gold Butte is worryin
about it too. Never mind, Of feller,
you'll see that stuff slowed away in
yer safe afore sundown.
What's this9 A hold up. sure as
shootin !"
Out from behind tell rock
man with a piece of dark calico
over his face and very large Win
chester in his hand. had suddenly
sprung, and the muzzle Of the rife
looked right il5o 2ach's big, round
eyes The brake scrapel the wheels
and made the parks fly. The mus
tangs came to a sudden stand. There
was no getting by that Winchester.
Il reckon you've got The drop on
me, stranger the driver coolly made
remark. stick up my handsl In
course viii, IF you insist on it, but
| tell yer these ere mustangs is
mighty skittish. anit's On the down
grade. So yer needn't shoot if they
start up, fur it'll be your own fault.
| s'pose yer arber this ere boxi
Throw it outl It's too blamed heavy
fer that. Yen hev ter give us a
lift"
The man with the gun had said
nothing; but the subtleties of the
holding up process were not so fine
but that Zach understood every wave
of the strangers hand and every
sh1ug of his shoulders. when the
waves and shrugs meant anything.
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 Zachs 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 a six
shot revolver.
Thanks, stranger" said Zach,
with forced merriment. II never
like to hev one O them air long bar
relied things pinted at me. They
shoot too du1n 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 pounds"
The robbers fingers grasped the
box nervously.
"A green un at the biz" thought
Zach. 'Mebbe thar'll be an openin
here yit,
The robber pulled and hauled at
the box, but it would not budge, for
it was caught on nail)load in the
bottom of the wagon. In his fever
ish anxiety to secure the gold, he
lowered the revolver little and
grasped the box with both hands.
Swiftly Zach's right hand fell to bis
hip and out he whipped his bright
barreled pistol.
Got the dead drop, strangerl It's
no gor he shouted. Put that
weepin daown, you fool !" for the man
was raising his pistol. You won't9
Then take that.
A flash, report, and back fell the
robber without moan. His fingers
clawed the dust for a moment, as if
he were gTasping for hold on life.
But the hold was not to be had, and
he gave it up and lay there quietly
in the dust.
The driver showed his pistol into
it's holster and wiped the sweat from
his brow. 1t has been close shave
for the box ana a closer shave for
him.
Takes a purity keen un ter git
erway with OF Zach arter all" he
chuckled, spIinging lightly from the
blackboard, while a broad smile lit
up his brown face. This ere means
big raise from the stage comp'ny
an a hundred er two from the Gold
Butte folks. guess they'll think
the Of mans bout right arter this.
Hooray fur hooray my stocks rizl
It's way up ter hundred an fifty,
Whoop-e-el Haw haw-hawr
He stopped down over the dead
man and lifted the bit of cloth from
his face.
almighty God It's Bulw-Frank
Bailey Millard in Argonaut.
Dinner faster.