Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1909-02-17

CIOu-dI FiOfCuCc SCdtIOn buU 1IauAly
told him he was out Of a job and had
indeed decided. in view of his coming
marriage, to give up horse wrangling
for some vocation of a more elevatine
character s. Terrill let him help
about the station. chiefly In the clerical
work. While SO engaged Bud learned
that package valued at $4,000 was
expected upon certain train. Al
though no consignee was mentioned.
the fact that the amount tailed exact
ly with the sum Payson was expect
ing caused him to conclude it was
Dicks repayment Of his loan. Ac
cordingly he Informed Mckee that the
time they were awaiting had arrived.
Florence had grown up as settle
ment about a spring Of water some
| time before the advent of the railroad.
Builders Of the line got into trouble
| with the Inhabitants and in revenge
| located the station half mile away
| from the spring, thinking new settlers
| would come to them. In this they
were disappointed. The point was an
isolated one and the station deserted
| spot between trains.
Eastward and westward the single
track of railroad drifted to simmer
| ing points on the horizon To the
south dreary wastes of sand glistening
! white under the FURNISHED sun and
crowned with clumps of grayish green
/ saGebrush stretched to an encircling
rim of hills. Cacti and yucca palms
broke the monotony of the roll of the
! plains to the uplands.
Sahuaros lowered over the low sta
ton, which was built in the style of
the old Spanish missions. Its red roof
Jared above the purple shadows cast
| by its walls. In the fathomless blue
above q buZZard sailed majestically
down an air current and lowered mo-
tionless over the lonely outpost of civil
Iization.
Within the station telegraph sound
er chartered and chirruped "Ole Man"
Terrfll was at the instrument His du-
ties were over for the forenoon the
eastbound express. which. with the
WestbOund, composed the only trains
that trayerSed that section of the road
each day. having arrived and departed
a half hour before, and he had cut in
on the line to regale himself with the
news Of the world But there was a
dearth of thrilling events such as his
rude soul delighted ill., The Apache
uprising that was feared had not taken
place. Colonel I0rdie CT Fort Grant
had the situation we'll in hand The
nihilists were giving their latest ear
n breathing spell No new priHetightel
had arisen TO WraSt the cha Mpi .nship
Of the world from ,jui1r1 l.. sullivan who
had put all MA oh, rivals Ito sleep
'Ole Man Ierril proceeded 10 follow
their example He had been up late
the night before 81 poker game His
head fell forward with jerk Aroused
by tie shock. he glanced drowsily
about him. Heat waves danced be-
fore the open window. Deep silence
hung over his little world. Again his
eyelids closed, his head dropped. and
slowly he slipped into sleep
Tragedy was approaching him now
but not along the wire Down an ar
royo, or draw Ghe dry bed of wa
ter coursel that wound in detour
around the town of Florence and de.
bouched into the open plain near the
station, crept two men in single file
each leading horse. They were Buck
Mckee and Bud Lane, who had ridden
north from the town that morning with
the declared purpose of going to Bucks
old ranch, the Lazy Is. They had cir
cled about the town. timing their ar
rival at the station little after the de
partGre of the train which was ex-
pected to bring Dick Lanes money
Mckee emerged first from the mouth
Of the draw He wore a coarse fan
mel shirt, iooseEed at the throat About
his neck WAS a handkerchief. His cid
ing overalls were tucked into high
boots with Spanish heels and long
spurs. A Mexican hat with "a head
band topped head covered with
coarse black hair, which he inherited
from his Cherokee mother
Save for the vulture floating high in
air not living thing was ia sight
With the caution of a coyote Mckee
crept to the station door and Deered
blinkingly through the open door into
the room. The change from the daz
Zling light without to- the shaded in
terror blinded him for a moment. He
heard the heavy breathing Of the sleep
er before he saw him.
Returning to the mouth of the ar
royo, Mckee mOtioned to his cOmpan
ion to bring out the horses When this
e was done the two men cinched the sad
dies and made every preparation 70,
> sudden flight Lane and the horses
remained outside the station behind q
, freight car on siding, while Mckee
stole softly through the open door to
, ''Ole Man" TerriIrs side.
, Now. the agent used as safe de
posit vault his inside waistcoat pocket
t the lock upon which was a huge safety
, pin. For further defense he carried q
e revolver, loosely hung at his hip and
e easily reached. His quickness on the
~ Vxy In b.