The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1893-05-07

criminal antece0entS OF Charles BynE
except that which has been told you by
the innocent lips of his betrothed, which
the law of the land has now sealed for
ever N the mouth Of his wife, and that
orr own actual experience OF his acts
have been in the main excuipatory Of any
previous lrregularity-if not incom-
patible with it. Briefly, no judge
would charge, no jury convict, on
such evidence. When l add that the
young girl is of legal age, that there is
no evidence of any previous undue IN
huence, but rather of the reverse, on the
part of the bridegroom, and that was
content, as g magistrate, to perform the
ceremony, / think you will be satisfied to
give your promise, for the sake OF the
bride, and drink a happy life to them
both.''
1 need not say that we did this cheer
fully, and even extorted from Bill grunt
OF satisfaction. The majority of the
company. however, who were going with
the through coach to Sacramento, then
took their leave. and, as we accompanied
them to the verandah, we could see that
Miss Polly Mullins trunks were already
transferred TO the other vehicle under the
protecting seais and labels of the ali-po-
tent express company. Then the whip
cracked, the coach rolled away, and the
last traces OF the adventurous young
couple disappeared in the hanging red
dust of its wheels.
But Yuba Bill's grim satisfaction at the
happy issue of the episode seemed 60 suf-
fer no abatement. lie even exceeded his
usual deliberately well regulated pota-
lions and, standing comfortably with his
back to the center OF the now deserted
oarroom, was more than usually loquaci-
Gus with the expressman. ''You see, -
he said in bland "reminiscences, sswhen
Your old uncle Bill takes hold of a Job like
this, he puts it straight through without
changin' bosses. Yet there was mo-
ment, young teller, when thought !
wss stomptl It was when we'd made up
our minds to make that chap tell the gal
iust all he what he was! Eff she'd rared
or kicked in the traces, or hung back
only ez much ez that, we'd hev given him
lest five minits' law to get up and leave
her, and we'd hev toted that girl and her
fixin's back to her dad againi But she
jest gave a little scream and start, and
then went off inter Mysteries, right on
his buzzum, laughing and cryin'
and saying that nothin' should part
'em. Goshi if / didn't think he was
more cutup than she about it-a mint 1t
looked as eff he didn't allow TO marry her
arter all, but that passed, and they were
married hard and fast-you betl reckon
he's had enough OF stayin' out nights to
last him, and eff the valley settlements
L y
at least the fc 1thills hev got shut OF one
more of the Ramon Martinez gang
Whats THAI at Jut the anon Mar
tinez gang2'' said a quiet potential voice.
Bill turned quickly. 1t was the voice of
the divisional superintendent of the eX-
press company man OF eccentric deter
mination of character, and one of the few
whom the autocratic Bill recognized as
IN equai-who had just entered the bar
G0ff
hat indicated that he had that morning
arrived on a round OF inspection.
Don't care if i do, Bill, - he continued
in response to Bill's invitatory gesture,
walking to the bar. ''It's little raw out
on the road. Well, what were you saying
about the Ramon Martinez gang? You
haven't come across one of 'em, have
you2''
MOP said Bill, with q slight blinking
of his eye, as he ostentatiously lifted his
glass TO the light.
fsAnd you WON'T - added the superin-
tendent, leisurely slipping his liquor.
''For the fact is, the gang is about played
out. Not from want of job now and
then, but from the difficulty of disposing
OF the results OF their work. Since the
new instructions to the agents to identify
and trace all dust and bullion offered to
them went into force, they can't get rid
of their swag. All the gang are spotted
at the offices, and it costs too much for
them to pay fence or middleman OF good
standing. Why, all that fiaky river gold
they took from the Excelsior company
can be identified as easy as If it was
stamped with the company mark. They
cam melt it down themselves; they can Il
get others to do it for them; they can 4
ship it to the mint or assay offices in
Marysville and Frisco for they won
take it without our certificates and seals,
and we don't take any undeclared freight
within the lines that we've drawn around
their beat, except from people and agents
known. Why. you know that well
enough. Jim,'' he said, suddenly appeal
ing to the expressman, t'don I you?'
Possibly the suddenness of the appeal
caused the expressman to swallow his
liquor in the wrong way, for he was over
taken with a fit of coughing, and STAN
mered hastily as he laid down his glass,
''Yes-of coarse-certainly.
''Nc, sir, - returned the superintendent
cheerfully, tthey're pretty we'll played
out. And the best proof of it is that
they've lately been robbing ordinary pas
seneers' trunks. There vas a freight
wagon held up near Dow's Flat the
other day, and a lot OF baggage gone
through. / had to go down there to look
into it. Darned if they hadn { lifted lot
O. woman's wedding things from that
dav out at Marysvllle. Looks as If they
were playing it rather low down, don t
It? Coming down to hard pan and the
bed rock-eh?''
The expressman' s face was turned anx-
iously toward Bill, who, after a hurried
gulpof his remaining liquor still stood
staring at the window. Then he slowly
drew on one of his large gloves. eye
didn't he said, with a slow, drawing
n Qrfin Lot
sthappen TO know old Skinner Hem
mings when you were over there?"
EYES,
"And his daughter?n
sHe hasn't any"
ga sort o. mild, innocent, guileless
child of nature?'' persisted Bill, with a
yellow face, a deadly calm and satanic de-
liberation.
ssNo, I tell YOU he HASN'T any daughter.
Old man Hemmings Is a confirmed old
bachelor. He's too mean to support more
than one.
"And you didn happen to know any
o. that gang, did ye?" continued Bill,
with infinite protraction-
ssYes. Knew 'em all. There was
French Pete, Cherokee Bob, Kanaka Joe,
One-eyed Sitllson, Softly Brown, Spanish
Jack, and two or three greasers. -
land We didn't know a man by the
name of Charley Byng?'
mo- returned the superintendent,
with a slight suggestion Of WEAKNESS and
a distraught glance towards the door.
"a dark, stylish chap, with shifty
black eyes and corled UP mustache?'
continued Bill, with dry, colorless per-
eietence.
mo. Look here, Bill. I'm in a little
bit OF a hurry-but suppose you must
have your little joke before we part.
Now, what is your little game?'
ssWot you mean2' demanded Bill, with
sudden brusqueneSs.
XAroII L.