The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1894-01-17

Oh ueath TO all-SaVe her own race
and equally incapacitated TO insure the |
blessings which she had invoked, |
neither her curses nor her prayers
we're needed However, none who
knew her had any faith in Black Rosa's
possession Of good viii toward anyone
of American or European blood
Even Robber Dan q male companions
in crime formed the most no.
torious and daring band of robbers in
Southern Colorado-did not escape
the vindictive spirit of Black Rosa.
| But the woman was useful to them
and, when plentifully supplied with
drink, there was no crime too black
for her wicked heart, nor scheme too
deep for her cunning brain. If she
possessed a single redeeming trait, no
one had been able 90 discover it.
Durango was ablaze with the glory
of frontier life-a glory which comes
but once in the lifetime of II new town.
But there was then little regard felt
for the future by the fortune-hunters
who swarmed the streets and filed up
the hotels and held high revelry in
the saloons and dance halls of that
new camp.
Honest men with capital, seeking to
double their investments in n fort
night, stood on the same level of asso-
citation with the horse thief and the
road agent Mine prompters and
gamblers drank over the same bar.
The crack of the stage-driver' whip
was but the echo of the pistol shot.
| 1 II L..
back against the end of the bar in the
saloon attached to the leading hotel of
the town. His hands were thrust into
the side pockets of his sack coat, while
his face wore puzzled look. John
Frances handkerchief. was missing.
That was mere incident, yet he con-
tinued to look puzzed.
"Going back to the mine in the
morning?" asked the clerk of the
hotel minute later, as France ap-
preached the desk and asked for writ
ing material.
eyes, sure !"
"Stage leaves at o'clock. -
"Well, call me a half-hour earlier,
and don't, for your head let me miss
the stage. / must be at the mine to-
morrow by all means. By the way, l
have lost large, white, silk handker-
chief, with black border. Look out
for it.
A few minutes later, while France
) was still busy writing, Sheriff Barney
r approached him and presented little
l Mexican chap, in whose possession had
, been found the silk handkerchief.
r "What shall do with him? ?" asked
l the sheriff
, "Lock him up" answered the
= manager of the Bull Domingo, sternly
7 flock him upl That is the little
| rascal who came to me few minutes
| ago begging for money. 1 gave him
, two-bits, and he shows his gratitude
4 by stealing my handkerchief"
e The attention of the loungers about
l the hotel office was attracted to these
r loudly spoken words of John France
but they did not hear what he said in
= hurried undertone to the sheriff, so
there was murmur of indignation
1 against the man who would seek the
punishment of child for stealing
y a silk handkerchief-an that after il
had been returned.
y John France laughed and went to
his room, while the sheriff smiled, as
1 he always smiled in danger and out,
d and led the boy away. The crowd
d looked puzzled.
d "He had my boy locked up, die
r he !" shrielled Black Rosa when the
details of this little episode were re
= lated to her. The face of the little
n Mexican woman seemed ablaze with
l. indignation. "He shall pay for this =
"Senora forgets the two silver
!, dollars !" taunted Robber Dan; 81
1 thought the sonora might feel sorry
e that we had planned to rob this fine
y Americana. But it's all right now
s is it, dearest?" he added mockingly
g "Rob him Murder him !" yelled
l. Black Rosa, and she staggered from
her chair as if she would carry out he
o own command, but fell on the floor il
e a heap.
+ Dan and his pals lifted the woman
e to q bed, and the leader remarked
= that she would sleep till morning anC
t be neither help nor hindrance L
had been known for twenty-four hour
n that the money-some ten Thousand
4 dollars-for the Bull Domingo pay
G roll had been received, but, until an
a nounced by Manager France, it wa
o not known when that gentleman
o would start for the mine.
At twelve o'clock that night foul
d men, heavily armed, rode out of Du
;, range.
= Two hours later the stage followed
u them, with one occupant on the inside
y and the driver alone on the front boot
t 1t was lonely ride. Bloomer, tn,
h driver, might rs well have been en-
e tirely unaccompanied so far as the in
J. side occupant of the coach was con
+ cerned But he was used to thes,
e lonely rides, and when a passengel
d preferred to be exclusive it simply ex
}. hibited to Bloomer the poor taste o
{, the passenger. So he talked to hi
+ horses. and sang to them, and passeC
: the lonely hours as comfortably as j
a he had been surrounded by half
d dozen passengers, and soon forgot tn,
It fellow on the inside,
2 Coming to a bend in the road, wher
= the ascent of the first steep mountain
is begun, Bloomer fell into areAectiv,
r mood, and remarked TO the nigh
n wheeler that the fellow on the inside