The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-05-07

thankful for small rlercles. But" he
added grimly, "when il comes down to be-
ing passed free by some psi Of boss thief
and that called a spesbal Providence, ]
amt in it'll No. sir. sin: in i'll"
ii.
1t was with mixed efnotions that the
passengers heard that p delay of fifteen
minutes to tighten certain screw bolts had
been ordered by the artoeratic Bill. Some
were anxious to get their breakfast at
Sugar Pine, but others were not averse to
linger for the daylight that promised
greater safety on the road The express
man, knowing the real csuse of Bills de-
lay. was nevertheless 9: loss to under
stand the object of it, The passengers
were all well known; any idea of COM
plicity with the road agents was wild and
impossible, and, even If thsre was a con-
federate of the gang spong them, he
would have been more likaay TO precipitate
a robbery than to cheek it. Again. the
discovery Of such a confederate-to whom
they clearly owed their ssfety-and his ar
rest would have been quite against the
Californian sense of justice. if not actually
illegal. 1t seemed evident that Bills
Quixotic sense of honor was leading him
astray.
The station consisted Of q stable.
wagon shed and a bu4iding containing
three rooms. The first vas fitted up with
'bunks" or sleeping besths for the en-
ployes, the second Was the kitchen, and
the third, and larger apartment. was q
dining room or sitting room, and was
used as q general waiting room for he
passengers. II was net refreshment
station, and there vas no bar" But a
mysterious command from the ON
nipotent Bill produ:ed = demiiohn OF
whisky. with which he ;;cspitably treated
the company. The seductive influence of
the liquor loosenad the tongue of
the gallant Judge Thompson. He ad-
United to having struck match to
enable the fair Pie Countian to find
her ring, which, however, proved to
have fallen in her las. She was a fine.
neal,hy young wo-nan-a type of the
tar West, sir; in fact quite a prairie
blossoml yet simpla and guileless as q
child" She was OH he way to Marys.
vile, he believed, although she expected
TO meet friends-a fricad-in fact, later
on" Ii was her hrst visit TO a large
town-in fact, any civilized center-since
she crossed the plains three years ago.
Her girilsh curiosity was quite touching.
and her innocence irresistible In fact in
country whose tendency was 10 produce
friyolity and forwardn&ss in young girls.
he found her mc.t Interesting Young
person" She was eve.a then out in the
stable yard watching The horses being
harnessed, 'preierr'ag 20 indulge a par
donabie healthy yoGng curiosity than to
younger passenger
The figure which sill s,aw thus engaged.
without being otherwise distinguished.
certainly seemed 70 Justify the Judges
opinion. She appeared 10 ne well ma
tured country girl. y hota frank gray ewes
and large laughing p.oIth expressed
Wholesome and Standardization in her
LIE and surroundings. She was watching
the replacing of .sSga,ss in the boot. 4
hit.e feminine start, So one of her own
parcels was throw.s sop:syhat roughly on
the roof. gave Bill bss opportunity. Now
there, he growlec . The helper. I'VE ain I
cagting stone! Lce oi:i. will yerf Some
OF your things. riiss he added. with
grun courtesy. turn ns - her. These yer
trunks, Tor lnstante2"
ehe smiled p!easane assent, and Bill.
pushing aside the Aeip,=. seized 4 large
50 asre trunk IN his arr :. But from ex
cess OF zeal, or sonse OF er mischsnce. his
foot slipped and lie came down heavily
striking the corner IF he trunk on The
ground and looseaing - fsstenings. II
was cheap, coma. on "a 'okine affair. but
the accident disco*1red IN its yawning lid
squantity Of W. :. ssCe-edged feminine
apparel OF an al srently superior
quality. The young l@,iy uttered smother
cry and came quicAl forward, bur
bill was profuse in his apologies, him
self girded the broken box with a
strap, and declared h-s intention o! nav.
ing the company ''ma,s j, good" to her
with new one. TtSu he casually sc.
companled her 10 ttse cacr of the waiting
room, entered, mace Lace Tor her hetoEe
the IKE ny simply AiGifi, the nearest and
most youthful pASsen ger by the coat
collar from The st.s,i f:la; be was occupy
ing. and having iistt.led the lady in i,
displaced another II an Who was standing
before the chimes, sud, drawing him
self NJ 10 his fuh sEs Zee; Of height in
ifont OF AeE, glanced down upon his fair