Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1897-06-17

you were held up?'
"a hollow cough and shrug of the
shoulders was all his reply.
"'What mean fellow ! thought the
old gentleman.
"At this instant the coach lurched
violently to one side and bang, bang,
bang came the sudden reports of guns.
One messenger was shot, the other COM
PEELED to throw up his hands before
time for resistance, and CONSERVATION
and terror prevailed within the coach.
lord, Lord = prayed the elderly
man.
"Oh, dear, Oh, dear : cried the
woman.
Hustle up here Git out : And
one of the robbers held the door open
with his left hand, while he covered
the passengers with the revolver in
his right.
Of course they all filed out and were
stood up in row. There was much
trembling on the part of the men, and
the poor old woman wept audibly.
1t only took few moments TO go
through the pockets of the line and to
investigate the messengers small safe
Probable the road agents would have
taken to the hills at this moment had
not one of them beheld the frail figure
within the coach.
Hold on, boys Here's one we
forgot, and he started in with an oath
to drag forth the consumptive. AS he
entered, most plaintive, cough-in-
terrupted voice greeted him, and
tough as he was, he paused.
"'Please don't make me get out.
l am very sick. l will die, know
If you will only let me be, will tell
you where you can get two hundred
dollars which you have overlooked. |
have no money. but know where the
two hundred dollars is.
"The robbers outside, having heard
the shrill, penetrating voice, glanced
at each other. The leader called out
to his fellow within the coach:
"'All right, Bill; find out where
them two hundred is, and let the poor
devil alone. We've got to be skipping
out.
"The piping voice took courage.
Gentlemen, if you will ask that old
lady to remove her left shoe you will
find the money.
"The men began to mutter and
scowl. The drummer even found cour-
age enough to say it was a shame to
rob poor old woman Of her last dol
lar, and no one but the most deprsved
sort of a road agent would be guilty Of
such an act. The leader walked up to
the drummer, slapped his face and
tickled the end of his nose with the
muzzle of his six-shooter. The drum
mer discreetly held his tongue until
the thieves were gone.
ut was with sighs and sobs that the
old lady seated herself on the ground,
took her shoe from that fat foot, and
handed up her last dollar. In twink
ling it was pocketed, and the outlaws
jumped for their horses and were gone.
What hubbub broke out when the
people found themselves alone once
more With one accord they assailed
the man within the coach.
"'Oh, you villain, you wretch, to
tell them of my money cried the wo-
man as she shook him by the shoulders.
"The drummer entered at this mo-
ment. He had been talking to the
other men of the party in low tones.
Just step out, madam; We want
to talk with him, he said.
"She obeyed, and several entered.
1t was noticed that the driver had his
reins in his hands and one end Of them
looked suspiciously like moose.
"'You Id rascal, said the dri-
yer, to have deliberately given this
woman money to those outlaws We
will make short shrift of you and he
threw the moose over the mans head.
There was desperate struggle for
moment, and then the moose fell down
cut through. 1t was seen that the lit
tie man had bowie in bis hand. He
spoke in a different voice this time.
"'For Gods sake, don't bother me
here. You can hang me at Miles City
as well as here. It's only little way
l shall not escape. When we get there
l will have something to tell you which
will explain my action. A man always
has right to have fair hearing be-
fore he is hung, and claim that priv
ilege
"'Well, we can watch him that far,
eaid the drummer. we can hang him