The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-05-09
ity. The expressman had recourse to
Bill.
rs it the man you thought Off" he asked

Bill.
rs it the man you thought Off" he asked
eagerly.
Il reckon" said Bill briefly.
But" continued the expressman, return
ing to his former skepticism, whats to
keep 81 them both from levantins together
Bill jerked his hand toward the boot
with grim smile.
Their baggage"
Oh said the expressman.
Yes" continued Bill. WI hang on
to that gals little frils and fixn's until this
yer jobs settled and the ceremony's over.
]est as eff we waz her own father. And
what's more, young man" he added, sud-
denly turning to the expressman. you'll
express them trunks Of hers through to
Sacramento with your kempany's labels
and hand her the receipts and checks for
them, so she can get EN- there. Thatll
keep EN- out o temptation and the reach
OF the gang, until they get away among
white men and civilization again. When
your hoary-headed old grandfather-or, to
speak planer-that partiklcr old ,bisky
soaker known as Tuba Bill who sits on
this box he continued with Il diaboical
wink at the expressman-"waltZes in to
pervide for a young couple jest startin in
life thar's nOthn mean about this style.
you bet. He fills the bill every time.
Sreshul providence takes back seat when
he's around"
When the station hotel and the struggling
settlement of Sugar Pine, distinct and
clear i'll the growing light at last rose
suddenly darted swiftly by us-so swiftly
that the faces of the tow occupants We're
barely dstingllishtble as they passed
and keeping the lead by a dozen lengths.
reached the door of the hotel. The young
girl and her companion leaped down and
vanished within as we drew up, They had
evidently determined to elude our curios-
ity. and were successful.
But the material appetites of the pas
sengcrs, sharpened by the keen mountain
sir. wero-more potent than their curiosity.
and, as the breakfast bell rang out at the
them rushed into the dining room and scram-
b!cd for places without giving much heed
to the vanished couple or to the judge
and Yuba Bill, who had disappeared also.
The through coach TO Marvsvile and Sac
ramento was likewise waiting for Sugar
Pine was the limit Of Bits mnistration,
and the coach which We had just left went
no further. In the course of twenty min
utes. however, there was slight and
somewhat ceremonious busting i'll the hall
and on the veranda, and Yuba Bill and
the judge reappeared. The latter was lead
ing, with some elaboration of manner and
detail the shapely figure Of Miss Mullins,
and Yuba Bill was accompanying her com
nanion to the buggy. We all rushed to the
windows. to get a good view of the mystic
rious stranger and probable eX-brigand
whose life was now linked with our fair
fellow passenger. I am afraid, however,
that we all participated in certain impress
sion of disappointment and doubt. Hand
some and even cultivated looking, he assur-
edly was-young and vigorous in appear
ance. But there was 4 certain half-shamed.
haf-defant suggestion il his expression. yet
coupled with a watchful lurking uneasiness
which was not pleasant and hardly becoming
in a bridegroon?-and the possessor of such
bride. But the frank, joyous, innocent
face of Polly Mullins. respondent with a
simple, happy confidence melted our hearts
again, and condoned the follows shortcom-
ings. We waved orr hands: I think we
would have given three rouslng cheers as
they drove away if the omnipotent eye of
Yuba Bill had not been upon us. II was
we'll. for the next moment We We're summon
ed to the presence of that soft-hearted auto
crat.
We found him alone with the judge in
private sitting room, standing before Il table
on which there was decanter and glasses.
As we filed expcctantly into the room and
the door closed behind lis. he cast Il
glance Of hesitating tolerance over the
group.
"Gentlemen," he said slowly, you were
all present at the beginning of a little game
this mornn', and the judge thar thinks that
you oughter be let at the finish. | don't
see that it's any of your id business, so
to speak but ez the judge here allows you're
all in the secret, I've called you in to take
a partin drink to the health of Mr.. and
Mrs. Charley Byns-ez is now comfably
off on their bridal tower What you
loot that's married the gal amt worth
shuclls to anybody. and ! wouldn't give it
to a yaller pup to play with, but the judge
thinks YOU ought all to promise right mere
that you'll keep it dark. That's his op!n-
ion. Ez far MS my opinion goes. gcnl
men," continued Bill, with greater blandness
and apparent corliality. Il wantor simply
remark in a keerless ofhand. gin raj way,
that eff | ketch any God-forsaken, lop-eared,
chucklo-hoaded, blatherin' idjet airing his
opinion
Zone moment, Bill" interposed Judge
Thompson with a grave smile. let me eX-
plain. You understand gentlemen, he
said. turning to us, the singular, and L
may say affecting, situation which our good
hearted friend has done so much to bring
to what we hope to be a happy termina-
ton. ] want to give here, as my protes-
sonal opinion, that there is nothing III his
request which. in your capacity as good
citizens and lawabiding men, you may not
grant. | want to tell you also, that you are
condoning no offense against the statutes;
that there is not particle of legal evidence
before US of the criminal antecedents OF
Charles Byng, except that which has been
told you by the innocent lips OF his be-
trothed which the law of the land has now
sealed forever in the mouth of his wife;
and that own actual experience OF MS
acts have been in the main excupatory or
any previous irregularity-if not incompatl-
BILE with it. Briefly, no judge would charge,
no jury convict, on such evidence. When
I add that the young girl is of legal age:
that there is no evidence Oh
any any previous undue influence, but
rather of the reverse, on the
part of the bridegroom, and that J. was con-
tent as magistrate. to perform the cere-
mony, think you will be satisfied to give
your promise for the sake of the bride,
and drink a happy life to them both
| need not say that we did this cheerful.
". and even extorted from R!ll a grunt of
satisfaction. The majority of the company,
however, who We're going with the through
coach to Sacramento then took their leave
and. as we accompanied them to the YER
and, we could see that Miss Polly Null
Grs's trunks we're already transferred to
the other vehicle under the protecting seals
end labels of the all-potent express COM
pany Then the whip cracked. the coach
rolled away. and the last traces OF the adj
yenturous young couple disappeared i'll the
hanging red dust of its wheels.
Hut Iuba liili's grim satisfaction ut the
happy issue Of the episode seemed to snf-
far 10 Abatement. He exceeded his
usual deliberately well regulated pota-
lions. and standing comfortably With his
back to the center of the now deserted bar
room. was more than usually loouacious
bn