The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1895-08-25

the lady to the stranger, it was eX-
ceedingly probable that he had dis
covered not only the fair inmate of the
robbers den, but one of the gang it.
self, or at least confederate and ally.
Yet, far from lettering him, in that
ingenious sophistry with which he was
apt to treat his romance, he now
looked upon his adventure as practi-
cal pursuit in the interests Of law and
justice. 1t was true that it was said
that the band of road agents had been
dispersed; it was a fact that there had
been no spoilation Of coach or teams
for three weeks, but none of the depre-
| datorS had ever been caught, and their
booty, which was considerable, was
known to be still intact. 1t was to the
interest of the mine, his partners and
his workmen that his clue to a danger
which threatened the locality should
be followed to the end. AS to the lady,
in spite of the disappointment that still
ranked in his breast he could be mag
unanimous! She might be the para
mour of the strange horseman; she
might be only escaping from some
hateful companionship by his aid. And
yet one thing puzzled him-she was
evidently not acquainted with the per-
sonality of the active gang, for she had
without doubt at first mistaken him
for one of them, and after recognizing
her real accomplice had communicated
her mistake to him.
1t was a great relief to him when the
rough and tangled tcut-off'' at last
broadened and lighted into the turn
pike road again, and he beheld, scarce
ly a quarter of a mile before him, the
dust cloud that overhung the coach
as it drew UP at the lonely wayside
station He was in time, for he knew
that the horses We're changed there,
but a sudden fear that the fair I'M
known might alight or take some other
conveyance, made him still spur his
jaded steed forward. AS he neared the
station he glanced eagerly around for
the other horseman, but he was no
where to be seen. He had evidently
either abandoned the chase or ridden
ahead.
1t seemed equally part of what he
believed was a providential interces-
sion that on arriving at the station he
found there was vacant seat inside
the coach. 1t was diagonally opposite
that occupied by the lady, and he was
thus enabled to study her face as 1t
was bent over her book, whose pages,
however, she scarcely turned. After
4 her first casual glance of curiosity at
| the new passenger she seemed TO take
no more notice of him and Key began
| to wonder if he had not mistaken her
| it his only disturbing query; he was
conscious of the same disappointment,
now that he could examine her face
| more attentiVely, as in his first cur
Sorry glance. She was certainly hand
some: if there was no longer the fresh
ness of youth, there was still the IN
| definable charm of the woman OF ~,
and with it the delicate lines OF eX-
perienced muliebrity and repose Some
! of these lines, particularly those around
| the mouth and fringed eyelids, were
deepened as by pain, and the chin,
| even in its rounded fullness, had the
angle Of determination. From what
was visible below the brown linen
cluster" that she wore, she appeared
to be tastefully although not richly
dressed.
AS the coach at last drove away from
| the station a grizzled, farmer looking
man seated beside her uttered sigh
Of relief so palpable as to attract gen
eral attention. Turning to his fair
neighbor with a smile of uncouth but
good humored apology, he said in ex-
! PLANTATION:
you'll excuse me, miss! I don't
know Exactly how you're feelin'-fer,
| judging from your looks and gin'ral
gait, you're a stranger in these parts
| but ez fer me, I don't mind sayin'
/ that never feel ezdclly Sale IIOIIl
these yer road agents and stage rob
bers ontil arter we pass SINNERS sta
ton. All along tibet Galloper's Ridge,
| it's jest tech and go like, the woods is
swarmin with 'em. But once pass
SINNERS you're all right. They never
dare go below that So eff you DON
mind, miss, for it's bein' in your pres
ence, I'll jet pull off my boots and ease
my feet for a SPELL"
Neither the singular request nor the
smile it evoked on the faces of the
other passengers seemed to disturb the
1adys abstraction. Scarcely lifting her
eyes from her book she bowed a grave
aasen.
You see. miss he continued, 'sand
you gents" he added, taking the whole
coach into his confidence, I've got
over forty ounces of clean gold dust
in them boots, between the upper and
lower sole, and it's mighty tight pack
ing for my feet Ye kin heft il" he
said. as he removed one boot and held
it up before them. II put the dust