Mexico Missouri message., 1908-05-14

Nnet oe us SoNN VI Jul lueIe was
no time for aasstlon.
Can you beah n hand hyah. Vim.
cent, and qulck?"
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 to-to
leave"
Yes. we'll have to. ~ we don't
w.nt 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 if-if 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.
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 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, 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 a
candle light: the whole place would
! be alight.' Relief unspeakable
breathed in his words, and half mile
passed in silence.
This Is terrible way to earn a
| iNluhs AilItu hdlu AZ idSt.
Yes; but this Jobs easy compared
to the trick the pony express boys
used to play"
This is dangerous enough. won.
der the company can induce men to
undertake the work. Don't you find
it wearing?"
"Oh. yes, | suppose It is. It's right
smart skoery sometimes, specially at
night when make the trip alone. And
wondeh passengehs don't buck
against being sent across without es.
cort. like how"
They would IL they knew what
they'd see. But it's infinitely worse
for you drivers"
Well, reckon the Lord knows his
business. an mine. too. | figger all
got TO do is to see he don't catch me
asleep on the box
sudden admiration for this hero
of the desert warmed Alfreds heart.
This time Id hated to let them
bacon-colored critters get me before
| 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, II he is set up a mite
queer"
Does he live alone? oh, no; I 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, IL he Is big And
Stella. pore little chicken She
Alfred waited discreetly.
Away back in the ffties Anthony
struck II rich oveh Washoe way" I'm.
| Gle Billy began again in a steadler
{ tone Struck Il powerful rich: panned
/ out money fasteh'n he could count Il.
And what did he do but put up the
/ durndest biggest palace this side OF
! 'Frisco-put II up right there where
he struck tin. II was a bang-up place
! TO shO'. big rooms with noweh gyar.
dens In the carpets. and Aoweh gyar.
/ dens on the walls; gold chairs. and
! locking 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 little artificial.
looking gyarden. just as sassy as jay.
| bird, setting there on the bare flank
OF the Sl-eery Nevaydys. But the
whole blamed outfit looked awful lone
some In spite Of bein' so grand and
handsome. II seemed burned out of
place, like a peafowl in full spread on
snowbank"
Didn't Mr.. Anthony have a fam.
ily?" Alfred questioned.
Yes, one little gal: that was all.