The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-04-22

quickly as any man In the country. And
yet Bill himself was . little reckless some.
times. He had been acting very queer o.
late, and had been over to Johnson's {
good deal, drinking and playing cards
with the boys. That would not do. Bill
must be looked after. He was only q
young fellows mere boy, even II he had
been trying to raise q mustache lately.
He laid his hands upon the box again
1t would be safe enough behind the rocks
there under tho sage brush--as safe a
il
"Git up thar, vel Git Buckskini Git
old Gabe! Ye lazy critters. Glangl'
And down came the long lash upon the
dust covered backs of the mustangs, and
of down the long grade they ran, max
ing the dust fly In the canyon az IL never
few before. For Zach had grasped the
reins in grip of iron, and both his big
cow6ide boots were planted firmly on the
box.
"This ERE is what / call goin' hell-ty
splitf" he said, ten minutes later, as they
were still flying down the grade. "But ]
lost some time with blamed fool notion
that orter ben licked for ever thinkin'
on mint. Well, the mustangs got q
good rest. Maxim up fer it now, though.
They'll soon be in lather. I'll git to the
half way house in quarter of an hour, and
then I'll take good horn. / feel kinder
narvous yit. Thet ERE box is a burned
heavy load on q mans mind. s'pose the
ryin' about 1t, too. Never mind, oil fell
Ter; you'll see that stuff slowed away in
yer safe afore sundown.
katf y. lta4 A
shootin'i"
Out from behind tall rock man, with
piece of dark calico over his face and q
very large Winchester in his hand, had
suddenly sprung, and the muzzle of the
rifle looked right into Zach's big, round
eyes. The brake scraped the wheels and
made the sparks fly. The mustangs came
to sudden stand. There was no getting
by that Winchester.
81 reckon you've got ther drop on me,
stranger" the driver coolly made remark.
"Stick up my hands? In course will, ef
you insist on it, but tell yer these 'ere
mustangs is mighty skittish, an it's on
ther down grade. So yer needn't shoot
ef they start up, fur it'll be yer own fault.
s'pose yer arter this ERE box. Throw it
out? It's too blamed heavy fer that. Yell
hev to 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 stranger IS
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 forward at
once. In this suggestion that he should
assist in taking of the box he seemed to
suspect some trick. But one of Zach's
hands were held aloft and the other, with
the four reins in it, was on the level of his
shoulder. The man edged up to the buck
board, exchanging the weapon which he
presented at Zach's head for six shot re-
volver.
"Thanks, stranger" said Zach, with
forced merriment. I" never like to hev
one o. them air long barreled things
p'inted at me. They shoot too durn
straight. Now, here We are"
With his foot he showed the box along
until it was near the end of the wagon.
"Thar it is, help yourself; but yen find
it blame heavy load ter pack ef yer
goin' far-over forty pounds"
The robbers fingers grasped the box
nervously.
"a green un at the biz" thought Zack
"mebbe thar'll be an openin' here yit?"
The robber pulled and hauled at the
box, but it would not bulge, for it was
caught on q nail head in the bottom OF
the wagon. In his feverish anxiety to Sc
cure the gold he lowered the revolver a
little and grasped the box with both
hands. Swiftly Zach's right hand fell to
his hip and out he whipped his bright
barreled pistol.
SCOT the dead drop, stranger! It's no
gol" he shouted. "Put that weepin
down, you fool!"-for the man was rais-
ing his pistol. "You won't? Then take
that"
A flash, a report, and back fell the rob-
ber without a moan. HIS fingers clawed
the dust for a moment, as IL he were
was not to be had, for he gave it up and
lay there quietly in the dust.
The driver showed his pistol into his
holster and wiped the sweat from his
brow. 1t had been q close shave for the
box and closer shave for him.
"Takes a purity keen un ter git erway
with OF Zach arter ALL" he chuckled,
springing lightly from The buck board,
while broad smile lit up his brown face.
"This 'ere means big raise from ther
stage comp'ny an er 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 a hundred an fifty.
Whoop-e-e! Haw- haw- hawl"
He stopped down over the dead man
and lifted the bit Of cloth from his face
Almighty Godl It's Billp-Argo-