Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-04-15

rode OF up the white trail in the dusk. Their
ponies Hoped easily side by side and Starr told
T him OF the outcome of the suit for the ranch
Jim was the son Of . neighboring stockmau and
bad tidy bunch Of cattle himself. He aud
Starr had been sweethearts since she was twelve
and he sixteen and they were to have been mar
ried the coming Christmas, but the girl in
sisted that she would not leave her father now
Jim argued, but TO no purpose; she would not
marry him unless her father could in some way
regain the ranch
"But how kin he?" asked poor Jim, al argu-
ment exhausted, .'hev yer any plan, Starr?''
"Uv cQu'se l hev," she replied loftily; but
yer'v' gosto hev lots o sand ter jine in, Jim
Bulger."
What's yer plan9 III jine in-never fear"
She bent toward him and whispered close in
his ear few rapid sentences. The man straicht-
ened up in his saddle, his face was white and his
voice husky as he almost shrieked, "By =, yer
don't mean it, Starr
She faced him calm and pitiless, her scornful
eyes looking him contemptuously through and
through.
Eyer kin bet do mean it, Jim Bulser. but
we don't want no towards n this yer deal, n
l reckin kin count on Pete DeBar ter help me
out, and she turned her pony's head as il to
leave him. He was at her side in a moment.
mo man on tn range dar' say that 4 me.
Starr; n yer know it, he Missed, as his hand
caught her bride close to the bit; I'm in this
yer deal ter tn turn"
AN I'm with yer, Jim." she whispered. and
as his arm went round her she kissed him full
on the mouth.
The up stage, carrying two or three pas
sengers, the mails and the companv's treasure
box, was Cue at Dabbs' at $50. but that night
it was late, for as it neared the ranch, Just at
the top Of steep grade. there came a stern
voice from the roadside: Hands up. Throw
out that box-both Of EN- dummy and tn
right one-no foclin'-drive on''-and the deed
WAS done.
Jim Bulser and Starr returned from their
ride inst before the stage pulled up at the Office
and they led the search for the highwaymen,
put there was no trace of them. The dummy
lay In the road where it had fallen, but the
treasure box had disappeared. The dusty trail,
trodden by innumerable hoofs and footprints
told no tales. and when the company's detec-
tives came up from the city they wsre quite as
mucn mystified as eny ore else
Inc company offered large reward for the
capture OF the robbers or the recovery OF the
money. There had been a large sum in cur
renew In The box that night which was sent I'D
to some n0en who were buvng a great mining
property, and the company did not like the idea
OF making 1T good. Weeks passed; absolutely
nothing inthe way OF a clue was found. and the
company had concluded to write the loss off
their books when very surprising thing hap
pened.
The president Of the company sat in mis- pri-
Vate once one morning when one of their most
trusted detectives entered and asked permission
to introduce Miss Dabbs. the daughter of the
Ole chap up country that they had mad so much
trouble with. The great man WAS pleased to
think that one bucClic mind at least had been
impressed with proper sense OF his import
ance, and ne puffsd ont his chest buttoned his
Goa. across 1t and ordered her 20 be shown IN.
Starr entered as norcha.antiv as though she
were accustomed to interviewing bank presi-
dents every day in the week She took the
chair offered her. and placing small vaiise on
the table opened it and gave the president of
That company surprise from which he will
never altogether recover
There WIS the stolen money-every dollar of
it.
The girl refused any reward save the return
20 her iather Of the ranch and Immunity from
publicity IAe matter was 10 be secret to all
save herself and the company-ro: evea Dabbs
was to be told OF lt-aTd no questions were 10
be asked rs to how the money came into her
possession.
The great man willingly promised, and Starr
carried away with he: Litter 10 her father
which was n promise to him from the company
30 put the deeas confirming his title to the
ranch on record within forty eight hours
There was a wedding at DabbS' on Christmas
day, and :he brides gift from the companv
WA check for the amount os the reward
ohefed Tor the recovery of the stolen MONEY!
The amount Of that check. with interest added
stands to Mrs. Jim Buyers credit to this dav
IN the company's bank AZ SaE francisco.