Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1894-07-12

wood, in the Black Hills. 1t was in those
days when every road leading into the me
tropOlis of the hills was toll road, and toll
was often collected at the mouth of win
chester
There were four men. The fifth passen
ger was a woman, and we took great in.
tercst in her, as she was in deep mourning
and extremely pretty. At first her face
was concealed by Il veil, but she finally
lifted this and fastened it back, and there
was not man of us who did not feel his
blood stirring more swiftly in his veins.
She had sweetly innocent face and the
gentlest brown eyes imaginable. Thost
eyes caught us
don't exactly know how it came about,
but Jim Bronson, the gallant man of the
party. succeeded in getting into CONVERSE
ton with her. She seemed utterly artless,
and her teeth were us white as milk. They
dazzled one when she smiled, which she
did twice in mournful way, as if sht
could not entirely Danish the great sorrow
that oppressed her.
We learned she had just buried her ia
Their and was going into the hills to search
for her husband, whom she called Jack,
and who was trying to make a fortune in
the goldfclds She said there was no one
left in all the wide world to care for her
now but Jack, and she must find him. ! am
certain she might have thrown herself on
the mercy of any one of our party and re-
ceived the tenderest treatment and consid-
Grafton.
At length the driver pulled up his horses
and turned to call:
Hello, YOU critters in thar Eff you've
got any dust or vallybuls you need in your
business you'd better put 'em whar they II
be hard to find. This next strip of trail is
Hark Bradshaw stampin ground, an he's
pretty sure to collect toll this trip,
Hank Bradshaw had reputation He
was a bad man with a record Of several
lives cut short by his guns before he turned
road agent, and none of us felt like taking
any chances in trying to down him with a
bullet. We held a council of war and came
to the conclusion it would be good scheme
to pool our wealth and intrust it to the
care of the little woman with the brown
eyes. 1t was said Hark never molested la
dies, priding himself on his gallantry.
She agreed to accept the charge of our
money, and barely had she hidden it in her
bosom when the driver was ordered to halt,
which he promptly did.
NO crooked business inside there,
called u ttltl tlItl SItdilN hpiGt. nave lIlt
drop, and am pretty handy with gun
Then II man flung open the door on the
right hand side and appeared, revolver in
hand He WAS rough, bearded fellow. but
rather handsome for all that.
The moment the little woman saw him
she cried. Jack, my husband" and sprang
FROM the coach. The man did not show
great surprise at her appearance, bnt still
keeping us menaced with his weapon he
ordered the Jehu to drive on, which com
maua was oheyed.
1t was at least - minutes before one OF
us spoke. We simply sat and looked al
each other and felt foolish. The drive,
broke the silence. Leaning to one side he
looked down ut us and called:
Hanged ef that thar female wuzn't Den
yer Kate, Bradshaw parfl. They used t
run skin game i'll Omaha. Didn't know
she WIZ round these parts, but d recog
uize her cf She hedut he'd that thar vel
over her face when She boarded. "
There were four very disguised men il
that COnestoga
Il wonder what we have lefts' l oh
served.
Why, we're all left" blurted Jim Bron
son as he clnched his fist and punched
himself behind the ear