Marble Hill press. (Marbel [sic] Hill, Mo.) 1881-1923, 1908-12-10

the Sruesome spectacle behind
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 quiek?"
He turned. The driver had already
lifted the shoulders OF one; Alfred
| took the feet.
Right toward hyah, round the
| point"
"Youvyou aren't going to-to
| leave"
Yes. We'll have to, II we don't
want to look the same way mighty
| soon!"
Cant we put them In the stage?
| It's awful to leave them!"
TT 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 a steely light creep into
| the dark violet eyes.
HES camel" 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 a rife 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 was stealing on, yet the suns
goodnight glory still fingered, It's
| 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 a
| candle light; the whole place would
| be alight." Relief unspeakable
| breathed in his words, and a half mile
| passed in silence.
This is a terrible way to earn q
| liv1ng!" Alfred said at last.
Yes; but this jobs easy compared
to the trick the pony express boys
used to play"
This Is dangerous enough I won
| der the company can induce men to
undertake the work. Don't you find
it wearing?"
"Oh, yes, l suppose it is. It's right
smart skeery sometimes, specially at
night when 1 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 wha,
| they'd see. But it's infinitely worse
| for you drivers"
We'll, l reckon the Lord knows his
| business, an mine, too. I figger all
| 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 them
| bacon-colored critters get me before
| 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
Does he live alone? Oh, no: sup
| pose he has helper as they have at
| other stations, hasn't he?" Alfred
| 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 tbs
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 foweh gyar.
dens in the carpets, and floweh gyar-
dens on the walls; gold chairs, and
looking glasses till yo'd see yo'self so
many times yo'd think yo'd got EN-
again.
THAT there house." he continued
presently, stood in a littSe artificial
looking gyarden, just as sassy as Jay
bird, setting there on the bare flank
of the Si-eery 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
snoWbank.''
ily?" Alfred questioned.
yes, one little gal; that was all.
Whom ho fhncn do,