The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-05-09
81 don't carry treasure. But I see you're
all right. too 1 saw you crossing Gal
loper's."
Saw us?' said Bill sharply. 1--WE had our

Il don t carry treasure. Out see you IL
all right. too. 1 saw you crossing Gal
loper's."
Saw us?' said Bill sharply. 1--WE had our
lights out"
YES but there was suthin' white-a hand
kerchief or a woman's veil, l reckon-hang-
in from the window. 1t was only movin-
spot agin the hilsidcs, but eZ l was lookln
out for We / knew it was you by that. Good
night ~, -
at eaci, others faces, and at Bills express
sion in the darkness. but be neither spoke
nor stirred until he threw down the relns
when we stopped before tee station. The
passengers quickly descended bo IRON n t fn
low, but Bill plucked his sleeve.
i'm going to take look over this yer
stage and these, yer passengers with We
afore we start.
why, what's upy'
well" said Bill slowly dsengagns
himself from one of his enormous gloves,
..when we wiltzed down into the brush
up there | saw a man cz pi;ln ez see you,
rise up from it. l thought our time had
come and the band was Soin to play. when
he sorter drew back, made sign, and We
lust scooted past him.
"Wel?"
Well said Bill, lit means that this
yer coach was passed through Tree to-
night. j,
you don't object to that-surelH. l
think we were deucedly lucky
Bill slowly drew off his other glove.
I've been risking my everlastln IRE on
this id line three times week, ne
said with mock humility. and IN anus
thankful for small mercies. But he
added grimly, when it comes down to be.
ing nassed free by some pal of boss tibet
and tibet called a speshal providence. l
amt in it. No, sir, ! amt in it,
1t was with mixed emotions that the
passengers heard that a delay of fifteen
minutes to tighten certain screw bolts had
been ordered by the autocratic Bill. Some
were anxious to get their breakfast at Su-
gar Pine. but others were not averse TO
linger for the daylight that promised
greater safety on the road. me express
man. knowing the real cause of Bills delay,
was nevertheless at a loss to understand
the object of it. The passengers were all
well known: any idea OF conplclty win
the road agents was wild and Impossible,
and. even if there was Il confederate of the
gang among them, he would have been
more likely to precipitate a robbery than
to check it. Again the discovery of such
q confcderate-to whom they clearly owed
their safoty--and his arrest would have
been quite against the Californian sense of
Justice. if not actually illegal. 1t seemed
evident that Bills Quixotio sense of honor
was leading him astray
The station consisted o IN stable. wagon
shed, and a building containing three rooms.
The first was fitted up with hunks" or
sleeping herths for the employees the second
was Il kitchen. and the third and larger
apartment was the dining room. and was
used as general waiting room for the pas
sengers 1t was not a refrcshment station,
and taere was no bar But a mysterious
comnS and from the omnipotent bill Produced
q dcK.iiohn of whisky, with which he hos
pitabiy treated the company The seductive
influence of the liquor loOsened the tongue
of gallant Judge Thompson. lie admitted
to having struck match to enable the fair
Pike Countain to find her ring, which, how
ever, proved to have fallen in her lap. She
was "a fine. healthy young woman-a type
of the far west, sir; in fact, quite pralrle
blossom. yet simple and guileless as a
child" She was on her way to Marys-
vile, he believed, although she expected
to meet frieDds-a friend-in fact, later
on 1t was her first visit to large town
in fact any civilized center-since she
crossed the plains three years ago. Tier
girliSh curiosity was quite touching, ana her
innocense irresistible. In fact. in ii coun-
try whose tendency was to produce trlvol-
ity and forwardness in young girls. he found
her a most interesting young person. She
was even then out in the stable yard watch
ing the horses being harncssed. "preterr-
inc to indulge a pardOnablc healthy young
curiosity than to listen to the empty com
pliments Of tne Young passengers.
The figure which Bill saw thus engaged,
without being otherwise distinguished, GER
tainly seemed to Justify the judges opinion.
She appeared to be a wellmatured country
girl whose frank gray eyes and laughing
mouth expressed a wholesome and abiding
qualification in her life and surroundings
She WAS watching the replacing Of luggage
in the boat A little feminine start as one OF
her own parcels, was thrown somewhat
roughly on the roof. gave Bill his opportu-
nifty Nov. there he gr0Wled to the help
or. Eve amt carting stone, Lookout, will ycrI
Some of your things. MISS he added with
3 ruff courtesy, turning to her. These yer
IS INKS for Instance!
me smiled n pleasant assent, and Bill,
r, SONG aside the helper, seized large
i Of trunk in his arms. But from excess
e sIinr, or some other mischance, his foot
~ = and he came down heavily. striking
It Ioosnnpr of the trunk on rho ground and
e mon Inits fasteaings. It was a cheap com
u prnd in e affair, but the accident discov-
d Iacnd fanyarning lid a quantity of white
snncrior n,}ne apprel of on apparently
:. other cry ANY. Iheyoung lady uttered an
= the broken IA, his apologies, himself girded
i his intnntinn =, with astrap, and declared
il good" 10 bnraving he company make
It casually accnn,n1I 9TH a ,ew one. Then he
waiting room, ent,ead her . the door of the the
i pelofe the ire by AnnIv h.;n,r1 tho ,1oora,r
cnar i frnr, H9u'nltl ,assenar by the coat
: and bav; m. ine n1Ioi hat hewas occupying
ed another m li1o'i,v who ne lad in it, displac-
me chimney, and, dra ing hms ,T MA nn 70
nIs IulI SIX feet of heig.t in iont Of her
glanced down upon his far nass $40 VI mr.,
!, TOOK his waybil from his ,6rkpt ~ Dis liz
= Your name is down here as v;s. NJ,
linS!' he said lsS Mul-
she looked up, became sudden| o1,oro
th'lt she ana her qucSt.oncr were !" nan
Ter OF interest TO the whole circle { NJ
sengers,. and, with slight rise Of ol I>,s-
returned Yes" "a eoior'
We'll, Miss Mullins I've got 4 one,;on
or TWO 10 ask ye. | ask it straight ont e'a
TINS crowd. It's in my rights 10 tal N1,e
aside and ask it-but that amt nv Stis =
Ill no detective. | needn't ask # ~ y
but act as eff | kn0wed the answer ",
might leave 1t to be asked by others ',
needn't ask it eff ye don't like; we've oot
friend over ther-.Iudge Thompson-w6n ;
friend to We, right OF wrong, jest as an,
other man here iSr-as though ye'd packe,,
your own jury. Well the simple uuast;o,
We got to ask We is this-D;i You signal +,
anybody from the coach when we n:'ss,'
Galiopcrs an hour ago.
We all thought that Bills courage an,
! autac!ty hau reached ii climax nor ~
openly and publicly accuse a lady" hnfon'
Il group of chivairous CaliforniaDs and 1i',,
lazy possessing the further attractions ~
| youth good looks and innocence. Was i;,' "
| short OF desperation. There was an o,t
dent movement of adhesion toward ne
fair stranger, a slight mutterinc hroko n o,'t
! - lA