Live Oak daily Democrat. (Live Oak, Fla.) 190?-190?, 1906-09-07

plant" said he. '.and filed it with eIec.
tricity. It's now away on trial"
Il should like to see how 1t stands
the test" observed.
80 you shall. William. There are
two horses at the door, and when we
have had our breakfast we win ride
out into the country and watch opera
tons"
Don't you have to go with itf" l
queried.
IF any one had to go with it" he
responded. ''the machine would not be
q success. Ny idea as to the work to
be done Il impaired through a series
Of push buttons. There my response
bilfty ceases, and the machine, of its
own voution, does the rest"
We rode about Eve miles, not toward
any ranch that had ever heard of, but
directly into the rockx.hiIls. The mys-
terry intensified and with it my appre-
tension
There was q IawIeSs strain In Kip
tons makeup. and most of his ingen-
ious undertakings trended in that d.
rection.
Kip" said severely. eff there Is
anything crooked about this you can
count me out"
William" he retorted, don't read
me any OF your homilies. We're not
going to do anything crooked. We're
simply going to watch and observe
what happens"
he looked about him critically. The
trail threaded a rugged ravIne at that
point, with shadowy lurking places
gashed from the slopes on left and
right.
This is the place." he proceeded.
I'VE will climb that hill, hitch our
horses over the brow Of 1t, and then
take up our stations behind convenient
powders"
why the bowldersr asked.
Haven't we a right
II never saw such a fellowr' he in
terrupted GROSSLY. Consider yourself
under my orders, William, or else point
your cayuse for Matanzas and 60 back
to the printing Office 1t looks to me
as though your plebeian ideas were
welded to type sticking and twenty
a week"
accepted the rebuke meekly. and
We hftched our horses on the other
side Of the hill and screened ourselves
behind rocks commanding q view Of
the trail.
We had not been ten minutes In hid
ing when the stage from the gold
camp at Pell's Notch trekked into
sight on its way to the railroad 1t
Matanzas.
watch" whispered Klipton, 'and
don't get excited"
The stage came merrily on, an ex-
press messenger on the seat with the
driver. At the messengers feet was a
strong box which knew must contain
treasure IN placer gold. Between
the messengers knees was a rife.
As kept my wondering eyes on tho
vehicle the four horses attached to It
suddenly went back In their traces
and then shot up In the afr. The
driver exploded yell. and the mes
senger, quick as chain lightning
brought the rife to his shoulder.
A report followed, and a musical
ring followed the report-a ring that,
through some weird acoustic effect,
sounded for all the world Ike a it'll
lating, ironical laugh.
Swerving my eyes the other way
along the trail, beheld the so called
motor cowboy planted in the path.
both weapons leveled at the two on
the stage. A red card lettered in white
had abruptly materialized at the front
Of the car, Hands Upr
l was spellbound-tOO much so for
determinations. All I could do was to
crouch behind my bOwlder and keep
my fascinated eyes on the tail below
The autOmston pulled trigger. and
the messengers hat flew of. The mes
senger emptied his magazine over the
horses heads. and a chorus Of those
eerie laughs echoed up and down the
ravine
BY then the stage horses were fairly
under control, and the driver elevated
his hands. The messenger, who had
lost a lock OF hair by second bullet,
followed suit
The Hands Upr' card vanished. and
another took its place-"Deposit Yalu-
ables In Iron Basket In Front of Car"
'Jumpin' wildcatsr' beloved the
driver. What sort Of a hOldup is this
anyhow? That looks like the old boy
himself. Why don't you say sOmethin'.
you Teller with the guns?"