Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1899-12-29
THE MAN WITH A PLAN.
The Other Passengers Distrusted Him. but His
Scheme Worked.
New York World.

New York World.
There were five of us in the stage,
and sixth man had q seat with the
driver. There was a second lieutenant
of cavalry, civil engineer, and the
rest of us were only common folks
who had been out in the hills pros
pecting and we're returning broken in
homes and "busted" in pocket. The
engineer was little man of feminine
appearance, and we hadn't been to-
gether an hour when he confessed
that the bare thoughts OF the stage be-
ing held up made him tremble all
over. The officer was quiet sort OF
chap, who seemed to have plenty OF
nerve, and though none of US had
much to lose, we by and by agreed
that in case the stage was stopped we
would make fight for it. All were
new to hold-up, but we decided that
if we had any show at all we could
make it hot for the road agents.
The little man at first agreed with
our plan as formed, but later on he
broached one of his own. The driver
told us that the point most likely to
be selected by the highwaymen would
be at rough spot in the road, just
before it reached a certain hill, and
we were about five miles from the
spot, and darkness had fully descend
ed when the little man unfolded his
plan. When within q mile of the
spot he was to get out and follow the
stage on foot. In case it was stopped
he would be in position to sight the
robbers and open fire at once.
We jumped on him at once for a
funk. 1t was simply scheme ON his
part to bolt and save his dollars in
case the agents appeared, and each
one gave him his opinion Of such con-
duct in very vigorous English. In
his soft, gentle way he replied:
Gentlemen, you do me injustice.
Please suspend judgment until you
see how my plan works. I DO assure
you that I firmly expect to kill rob.
Der and save the STAGE"
We were too disguised to argue with
him, and when he finally got out in
accordance with his plan, the army of.
ficer was fain to make q kick at him.
We couldn't tell whether he had bolt
ed back down the road or was follow
ing on, but we got all ready for q hold
up. Every one of us had a revolver in
hand, and every one was on the watch,
and yet it came about before we knew
it. The horses were still at u walk
when a man appeared at either door of
the stage and covered us.
At the same moment third
stopped the leaders and covered the
driver and passenger with shotgun.
1t was simply dead cinch on us, and
we were not over ten seconds realizing
it. We had just got the order to
hand up our guns and step out when
there was pop! pop! pop! from out
side. The brigand at the right hand
window cried out and fell; the one at
the left hand window disappeared
without sound. There were three
shots more from the front of the stage,
and half q minute later. and before
any of us had moved, we heard the
little man saying:
Gentlemen, its all over, and you
can come out"
What had happened? There was a
dead man on one side of the coach
and seriously wounded man on the
other, and the third brigand had been
driven away, probably hit by at least
one bullet. All this had been done
by the little man and his little gun,
according to his plan, and what made
it the worse for US he he didn't appear
to have done anything to feel proud
over. We tried to square ourselves
with him, but it couldn't be done.
While he seemed to forgive us, we re-
allied what his real private opinion OF
five such chumps must be. and we got
away from him at the first stop.
The Spokane Chamber OF Com
merce is discussing plans for o perma.