The Press., 1900-11-29

LII I TILE JUNO.
His Peculiar Pleading For His
Fathers Life. :

@o%o%o%o~o%o%~
There were five men of us and a boy
In the far western stagecoach as it
rolled over the rough roads Of Dakota.
We had been together for four days.
We called the boy Jim because his ia
Their did. We knew his father to be
Colonel Weston, banker, cattleman and
mine owner. The colonel wasn't a man
to whom a stranger would take at first
glance and even after four days Of his
company none of us could say we liked
him. When you came to study him
closely, you saw that he was revenge
full and relentless. The boy was frank,
clipper and good natured, and you
took a liking to him as soon as you
looked into his big blue eyes. His age
was about 10, and he had wit and
knowledge beyond his years. We had
yet 20 miles to 60 to reach the termi-
nus, and the hour was about o'clock
In the afternoon when the coach came
10 a sudden halt as it toiled up hill.
Next moment the driver called to us:
"Al you folks what don't want your
heads blown off had better get down
and line up. We've been stopped by
road agent"
We had arms in plenty, but no one
moved to resist. Every bullet fred by
the robber would bore it's way through
the coach and find a target, while the
| robber had the cover of the horses and
was safe from our fire. 1t seems cow
ardly when you read it, but to get
down and submit to be robbed was the
wisest thing to do under the circum-
stances.
Little Jim was not bit frightened.
| On the contrary, he rather enjoyed the
situation. 1t was not so with the colo
mel. l saw him turn pale and heard
him cursing under his breath, and he
was the last man to get down.
The robber had a double barreled
shotgun in his hands. He cautioned
the driver to hold the coach where it
was and then advanced upon us. He
glanced carelessly into each face until
his eyes rested on the colonel. Then he
gave a sudden start, drew in his breath
with gasp, and we realized that there
was a recognition. The colonel grew
white under his look and began to
tremble. The boy had no sooner looked
into the road agents face than he cried
out:
"Why, it's Mr.. Pelton-Mr. Pelton!
Say, Mr.. Pelton, Pm awfully glad to
see you. Where've you been this long
| timer
$50 it's you, Jimmy" laughed the
robber as he held out his hand for q
shake. "Well, you have been growing
since l saw you last. It's wonder
you knew me at first sight"
"Oh, l used to like you so well
couldn't forget your face" replied the
boy. "Are there robbers around, Mr..
| Pelton?"
| With gentle hand the man pushed the
boy back in line and then stepped back
a pace or two. AS he did so his face
grew very sober and l saw a flash in
his black eyes did not like. His voice
was low and steady as he finally said:
''I'm much obliged for your prompt
ness in climbing down and lining up,
and l think I'll let you off this time.
The four Of you may go back into the
coach and go on. I'm leaving your
guns with you, but don't attempt to
play me any trick"
The colonel took his son by the hand
and attempted to enter the stage with
US, but the robber motioned him back.
"W-what do you want of mew asked
the colonel in a voice which Quavered.
'Pll tell you later" was the reply.
AS the coach started on we looked
out to see the three standing in the
| still ha1d nP 10
fathers hand, but had reached out the
other and caught the robbers sleeve.
When we had gone 200 feet, the road
turned and shut them from our view.
At the disappearance Of the stage the
man turned on Colonel Weston and
pointed to the hillside on the right and
said:
"Move on that way. Jimmy, give me
your hand, and I'll help you along"
The white faced colonel entered the
pines and held a straight course up the
hill. Behind him came the robber and
his son. The boy had been full of curl
aWed and frightened by the looks cast
upon his father.
Two or three years before he and
Mr.. Pelton had been great friends. Mr..
Pelton had been manager for his IA
ther. One day there had been bitter
quarrel, pistols had been drawn, the
sheriff had rushed in, and Mr.. Pelton
had fed to escape arrest. He remem-
bered his father calling the fugitive q
: thief and Of men being sent out to hunt
him down. All this came back to him
fho Po%h hr
rough way, and though he knew moth.
ing Of mans vengeance there was q
feeling Of dread in his soul. Now and
then the robber ordered the colonel to
the right or left, but these were the
only words spoken until they finally
reached a rude camp high up among
the powders. By and by the robber
half turned to look the colonel in the
face and said:
1--WE waited for this for two years. ]
could neither die nor 60 away until I
had killed you"
ut will be murder-cold blooded
MURDER" replied the colonel as he fold
ed his arms.
eff it was murder a hundred times
over, I'd do it. Do you suppose 1 can
forget Rose Harper? Who separated
us? Who maligned me? Who wrecked
my life and sent her to a suicides
grave? Who drove me to be fugitive
from justice on false charge? I'd kill
you If 1000 men surrounded me-"
The colonel was silent for a time. He
did not look at his boy, but past him.
The boys eyes were fastened on his
face, however, and a chill crept over
him as he noted the look of q man
standing in the shadow of death. II
was the first time he had ever seen it.
He turned from his father after awhile
to look at the robber.
There was another look strange to