Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1906-12-26
Ge Ladies Roses
Goriginal.l

every man was armed. Gentleman
John, as he was called, had robbed the
coach the day before and had told the
driver to say that he would rob the
next one to pass over the road. The
consequence was, this being the next
coach, that the sheriff, disguised as a
parson, was in It, and the two won
en-" were disguised deputies. But their
Identity was not known to the pas.
sengers.
"OPd like to see this gentleman road
agent git any Of my money" remarked
Hibernian. "They say he's mighty
quick on the trigger, but Orll keep me
finger on mine the WHILE"
'Some of us down In Mississippi,
whar | come from, are In the habit of
ilsin' guns" drawled a man in a broad
brImmed hat.
ooh, we won't see Gentleman john
said the supposed clergyman. HE
isn't the fool to give us warning"
"He give em warning ON the Denver
line" said young fellow in a high
choker collar. "They were on the look
out for him, but the first thing they
knew he was on the coach step and
had every one inside covered. Every
passenger was armed, but no one dared
draw"
The stage stopped at a tavern the
door was opened, and woman with a
bunch of roses in her hand was about
to enter when she drew back, saying
that she wouldn't travel with men
alone. Apparently she did not see the
deputies, who were on the back seat,
and when they were pointed out to her
she sprang into the coach. AS she was
about to seat herself she dropped her
bouquet. The young man In the choker
collar picked it up and handed it to
her. She received 1t with a smile and,
taking from the bunch the largest rose,
gave 1t to him. He thanked her and
put 1t to his nose. Then the conversa-
ton was resumed as to Gentleman
John.
HAS any one ever seen him unmask.
ed?' asked the sheriff, fishing for infor-
nation.
NO" replied the Irlshman, "he's
modest as cyril. He hides his face
as the women do In Turkey"
'They say he's about forty" said
one of the deputies
'Who are you talking about?" asked
the woman with the roses.
Gentleman John. He's going to rob
this COACH"
LAW sakes Let me outl Driver,
stopw
You can't get out here" said the
sheriff. you'd have too far to walk
back. Besides, the fellow isn't fool
enough to forewarn u.s.
I'VE are all ready TO- him." the Mis-
sisslppian remarked.
I'm 'fraid to death O. these western
road agents." said the woman. 'I wish
l was back east where l came from"
and she trembled like leaf.
'Don't ye be afeared," said the Irish
man. "If anything happens we'll look
out for the women folks"
The woman, who was still shivering
looked at window through which a
raw wind was blowing. The Irlshman.
who sat next it, put 1t down. He was
rewarded with q rose. Then the donor,
imploring the men to save her II the
coach was attacked, gave each man a
rose. This left two roses, which she
handed to the supposed woman.
Delicious" remarked the southerner,
shifting his flower. Reminds me Of
ou' beautiful fiowe'. the magnolia"
Every one in the coach was shifting.
and, the windows being closed, the fra
GRANGE permeated the pent up atmos-
phere.
1t was now getting dark, and as the
coach numbered slowly along one by
one the party dropped off to sleep. The
first one to go to dreamland was the
youth In the choker collar, whose head
fell against the Misslssippian. The
Irishman leaned upon the sheriff, and
the two deputies leaned on each other.
A red headed miner was the only one
awake, and he made an attempt to
open window but the woman caught
his hand and prevented him. He look
ed at her appealingly and made an eff
fort to raise the window without her
permission. She drew a revolver from
somewhere in her skirts and pushed
Its muzzle up against his forehead.
Then she picked up his rose, which he
had thrown on the floor, and held 1t
under his nose.
"Sniffr' she commanded in voice
that had lost all its femininity. "Sniff
with your nose or you'll sniff through a
hole In your head"
The man shifted vigorously, prefer
ring insensibility to death, and the wo-
man soon threw his head back on the
cushion, where 1t remained quiescent.
There were now eight insensible per
sons in the coach and one very wide
awake The woman threw Off her out
side apparel, displaying woolen shirt
and trousers tucked In boots. Indeed
she was no woman at all. but a young
fellow barely twenty, with cheeks rosy
from vermilion paint. He first re-