The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-08-01

49, We SUI lHtO Dan LUIS without
further mishap about noon. In order
not to delay the passengers who had
arrived from Santa Barbara and
southern points the night before, It YVES
decided that as we had lost half a day.
me same stage would start on its re-
turn trip in an hour. As the only bust
ness had to do was TO draw money.
was ready. While in the bank getting
my coin, old Williams came in and all
so made out draft.
Al ! O'Clock we left San Luis. taking
extra horses to see us over the hill
There were now four passengers, Old
williams, a well known landowner in
santa Barbara, a whisky drummer and
myself. As the weather was cold, we
all got inside the coach. BY the time
we got to san Miguel it was quite dark
ana as we approached the Nacimiento
river about an hour afterward, no.
uced that old Williams trepidatlon
which had been noticeable for some
ume past, became more apparent than
ever. AS the horses FLASHED out of the
stream on the farther bank, re-
marked that the old man had retired
into the fGrthegt corner of the coach,
had muliled his head in a travelling
rug and was snoring heavily
AS soon as We gained firm ground the
driver whipped up and the stage
bowled past the approach to old Will
liams' house at a lively pace. Not,
however, before a female figure, in
whom by the coach lantern | recognize
ed Mrs. Williams, had looked into the
stage and detected her recreant spouse,
mufiled as he was, in the corner.
Il saw ye, ST." she shouted after us,
as we bowled along; "yc can't fool me.
| thought ye'd try to play me, you old
Whelp, but wait bit" the rest of her
speech was lost in the distance
From the Nacimiento Crossing to the
Ploito Ranch is some ten miles, and
here the northbound stage in these
days always stopped to change horses
and let the passengers eat supper.
Half an hour afterward We resumed
our journey. We began to get liyelier
under the influence of good cheer.
The colonel from Santa Barbara was
particularly entertaining. The drum
mer's best samples circulated freely,
and even old Williams joined in the
general exhilaration, when, all of
sudden, the coach drew up with jerk
which nearly threw us out Of our seats,
and the familiar muzzle of a double
barreled shot gun was thrust in at the
window.
Never mind THROWN down the box.
jim shouted a voice which fancied
| had heard before; that amt what |
am after. Come. pile out on the road,
you galoots inside, an be quick about
it. Wake up, old man." continued the
voice, ironically, evidently addressing
old Williams, who had shrunk back in
to his corner dead with terror.
We obeyed the injunction with alac-
riy. People always do under such cir
cumstances. But who shall depict our
establishment when we saw that this
daring road agent who had stopped us
was q woman, and still more to my
surprise | saw it was neither more
nor less than Mrs. Williams
Hold up yer hands, gents" said our
captor, quietly: faint you I'm after;
it's you, ye good for nothin' nincom-
poop" as she covered him with the
shotgun Jest shell out that money
yo got today at the bank-all-every
cent of It,"
With trembling hand old Williams
old 1nnfhor
pocketbook, and handed 1t to his
spouse who opened it and glanced at
the contents, still keeping the gun
leveled in our direction.
-Four hundred and fifty-two,"
she said slowly, after a careful scrut-
my: II thought so! ye're forty-eight
dollars short. Hain't We got no more?'
Not a cent, Marthy,' returned the
terror stricken man, las Gods my wit
ness"
Well, We kin borrow it off some OF
them gents They know ye're good for
it," returned his obdurate spouse.
The whole situation was SO ludic-
rous that we other three passengers
and the driver burst into a roar OF
laugher. Immediately reached for my
purse, but the colonel was before me,
and with a low bow and benignant
smile, rendered his. The woman ac-
cepted it with, the utmost gravity, and
tool, from it two twenties, a five, and
three dollars in silver.
This" she said solemnly, as she re-
turned the purse, sis loan to the old
man. Never fear. He'll pay III