Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1908-05-20

What could be done? How should
they be disposed of?-but there was
no time for question
Can you beah a hand hyah, Vim
cent, and quick?"
He turned. The driver had already
lifted the shoulders of one; Alfred
took the feet.
Right toward hyah, round the
point
'You-you aren't going TOTO
leave
Yes, we'll have to, if we don't
want to look the same way mighty
soon,"
Cant we put them in the stage?
It's awful to leave them"
1T may be worse to take them; and
I'm afraid We'll need the stage for the
living Tiff we get through"
Alfred said no more; and Uncle Billy
warmed to him as he saw the clear-cut
jaw set and steely light creep into
the dark violet eyes.
He's game," Uncle Billy whispered
to himself.
Gently they disposed of the poor.
mutilated bodies, and hurried back to
the stage. The driver armed each
passenger with rifle and revolver:
and ordering Alfred beside him, and
Phineas to keep the lookout from the
top, he swung his team into the road
and drove forward through the cut
with slash and oath.
Dark wa stealing on, yet the suns
goodnight glory still fingered, its
flaming banners striking into the over
head darkness, flooding earth and
heavens with strange, sinister color.
Alfred thought of what lay behind, and
gripped his gun sharply. The team
slowed, and Uncle Billy no longer piled
the lash.
See that light there, away yon to
the left?"
Yes"
That's Anthony's, the next station.
Some ones alive there, and that some
one is white, or there wouldn't be g,
candle light; the whole place would
be alight.' Relief unspeakable
breathed in his words, and a half mile
pdSSeu III SlleQce.
This is a terrible way to earn
living!" Alfred said at last.
Yes; but this jobs easy compared
to the trick the pony express boys
used to play"
This is dangerous enough l Won
der the company can induce men to
undertake the work. Don't you find
it wearing"
oh, yes, suppose 1t is. It's right
smart skeery sometimes, specially at
night when l make the trip alone. And
l wondeh passengehs don't buck
against being sent across without es-
cort, like now"
They would if they knew what
they'd see. But it's infinitely worse
for you drivers
We'll, / reckon the Lord knows his
business, an mine, too. l figger all 1
got to do is to see he don't catch me
asleep on the box
A sudden admiration for this hero
Of the desert warmed Alfred's heart.
This time I'd hated to let I EN-
bacon-colored critters get me be ore
l got to AnthOny's. Those tracks are
all from Anthony's; and there's more
than men and property-there's An
thongs little gal, and"
Alfred shivered at the significant
pause.
"Anthony's had hard luck He's one
of Gods best, if he is set up a mite
queer"
Doe. he live alone? Oh, no; 1 sup
pose he has a helper as they have at
other stations, hasn't he?" Alfred
hoped the driver would tell him more
of the station agent, not because of
his own interest in the agent, but that
he might be saved from thinking.
Yes. he has a helper, Gid Ingram;
but he's only boy, if he is big. And
Stella, pore little chicken! She"
Alfred waited discreetly.
Away back in the fifties Anthony
struck it rich oveh Washoe way" I'm
Gle Billy began again in a steadier
tone. Struck it powerful rich; PANIED
out money fasteh'n he could count it.
And what did he do but put up the
durndest biggest palace this side OF
'Frisco-put it up right there where
he struck tin. 1t was bang-up place
TO sho'; big rooms with fioweh gyar-
dens in the carpets, and floweh gyar-
dens on the, walls; gold chairs. and
looking glasses till yo'd see vo'self SO
many times yod think yo'd got EN-
again
That there house." he continued
presently, stood in a little artificial
looking gyarden, just as sassy as jay
bird, setting there on the bare flank
of the Si-eeTy Nevaydys. But the
whole blamed outfit looked awful lone
some in spite of bein' so grand and
handsome. 1t seemed burned out of
place. like a peafowl in full spread on
a snowbank.'
Didn't Mr.. Anthony have a fam
ily?" Alfred questioned.
yves ono LITTLE GAL that was all