The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1898-12-24
heads

and the one at the leaders heads
thought 1t a good time to leave.
Now, get in, friend said the Quak-
er, still covering the man, land take
the middle seat; but first deliver UP
thy pistol.
The other hesitated.
Thee had better not delay; I feel
the spirit beginning to move my right
forefinger."
The robber did as he was directed,
and the Quaker took his place by hia
side, giving the newcomer the middle
of the seat.
The driver, who was frightened half
out Of his wits, now set forward at a
rapid rate. The lively gentleman soon
recovered his vivacity. He was espe.
cially facetious on the Quaker's
prowess.
You are a rum Quaker, you are.
Why you don't quake worth a cent"
I'm not a Shaking Quaker IL
that's what thee means"
Of the Hickory or, rather, of the
old Hickory stripe, 1 should say" re-
torted the lively man; but the Quaker,
relapsing into his usual monosyllables,
the conversation tagged.
Time sped, and sooner than we ex-
pected. the coach stopped where we
were to have supper and a change of
horses. We had deferred a redistri-
button of u effects till we should
reach this place, as the dim light of the
coach lamp would have rendered the
process somewhat difficult before.
1t was now necessary, however, that
1t be attended to at once, as our
Jovial companion had previously n
nounced his intention of leaving us at
this point. He proposed a postpone
ment TIL after supper, which he offer
ed to go and order.
Nay" urged the Quaker, with an
approach to abruptness and laying his
hand on the others arm; business
before pleasure and for business there
Is no time like the present"
Will thee be good enough to search
the prisoner" he said to me, still
keeping his hand, in a friendly way,
on the passengers arm.
did so, but not one of the stolen
articles could be found.
He must have gotten rid of them in
the COACH" the gay gentleman sug-
gested, and Immediately offered to go
and search.
"Stop!" Numbered the Quaker, tight
ening his grasp.
The man turned pale and struggled
to release his arm. In an instant one
of the Derringers was leveled at his
heart.
Stir a hand or foot and you're q
dead mani"
The Quaker must have been awfully
excited so completely to forget both
the language and the principles of his
persuasion.
Placing the other pistol in my hand,
with directions to fire on the first Of
the two men that made a suspicious
movement, he went to work on Lo-
thario, from whose pockets, in less
time than it takes to tell it, he pro-
duced every item of the missing prop
erty, to the utter amazement of the
two ladies, who had begun in no meas
ured terms to demonstrate against the
shameful treatment the gentleman was
receiving.
h Quaker, I need scarcely add, was
no Quaker at all, but a shrewd detec-
tive who had been set on the track OF
a band of desperadoes, of whom our
middle-aged friend-who didn't look
nearly SO middle-aged when his wig
was off-was the chief. The robbery
had been adroitly planned. The leader
of the gang had taken passage in the
coach, and after learning, as he sup
posed, u defenseless condition, had
given the signal to his companions by
throwing u the scrap of paper al
ready mentioned. After the unexpect-
ed capture of the first robber it was
attempted to save the booty by secret
ly passing it to the accomplice, stili
believed to be unsupported, who count
ed on being able to make off with it
at the next stopping place.
The result was that both for a sea-
son "did the state some service
New York Daily News.