The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-04-23
THE SPOIL OF
THE EGYPTIAN
CONTINUED from page 81


he refused, whereupon they bound him,
poured nitroglycerine in the cracks of
the safe door, took the blankets from
his bed and threw them over the safe
to deaden the noise of the explosion,
and blew the safe door off. They took
the railroads money and the express
packa ges and made off. Being in
securely bound, he quickly struggled
free from his bonds, and. securing his
revolver, he ran out and fired at the
robbers as they disappeared into the
sage brush near the water tank. They
returned his fire and wounded him in
the shoulder That was ALL
! The agent was plainly exercised over
the robbery. but it looked as if he had
done all that could be expected of him,
even at the risk of his life. He was
quite sympathetic with Mr.. Stewart.
! I'm blamed sorry they got that
package of yours, old man." he said.
I've been uneasy about that bunch Of
stuff ever since it landed here
/ "Oh, it's all right" responded Mr..
Stewart easily; 1.-The company makes
good, doesn't it?
4 Il don't doubt that it will. but it may
take some little time and the delay
may interfere with your DEAL
Don't you worry" said Mr.. Stewart,
looking the agent in the eye. I'm
willing to wait. What's the use OF
kicking, anyway
: You're a game loser" said the
agent. with a smile that only. CURED
the corners of his lips.
Whats the use of being anything
else?" rejoined Mr.. Stewart airiiy.
Everything's a gamble in this wicked
world. Faro's a gamble; so is stud
poker. Even robbing a stage coach or
blowing a safe is chanceful proceed
ing. You may strike it rich and you
may get nothing at all. The man that
can't take losing gracefully has no
business to gamble. which is to say
that he has no right to live"
The agent listened with some con-
straint to this philosophy. which.
though interesting, was perhaps not
entirely in keeping with the occasion.
"Of course. I want this thing settled
as soon as possible however" continu-
ed Mr.. Stewart. "and I rely on your
help. I'm going to Los Angeles There
my partner and I shall present our
claim to the proper officials. All we
want from you is plain statement
It's a clear enough case. isn't it-no
room for a fight?'
! None at all. You had the money
here and it's been stolen. No chance
for argument. I'll help you all I can"
Mr.. Stewart mentally commended
this resolution. though. when he
thought of something he had in his
mind smile would play over his face,
only to be succeeded by the most
somber and even dismal of facial ex-
pressions
The agent, al all events. was as
good as his word. There was some
hemming and having on the part of
the express people. They wanted to
compromise for less than the S12. 600
and they wanted TO put off a settlement
on one Dretext or another. But the case
was plain enough. Mr.. Beaujeu had
the receipt for the package upon which
he had paid the charges: the packag e
had been delivered to the company and
the company could not produce it
There was no d,sputing the facts.
The contamination of it all was that
at the end of four days the claim
agent handed Mr.. Beaujeu a check for
S120 600 in full satisfaction of the claim.
That gentleman and Mr. Stewart forth