The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1909-07-11

marked the medical gentleman, "is how
one or two men can stop and rob
dozen, all well armed. 1t looks as il
they have no nerve, I don It believe
that / d stand it.
The colonel winked sagaciously al
the major, and the latter smiled pen
slvely. They had both seen service il
the west Cactus Bill leaned forward
and tapped the doctor on the knee
gently.
"Tell me, partner,' he said quietly
"was 1t ever your luck TO be held
upa"
"No,' said the eastern man; 81
can say that | have ever had such an
experience.
'Just so,' commented the mine
owner. "Well, let me give you a word
of good advice. If ever you are
stopped. don't try to argue or show
fight Hand over your coin quiet and
polite, and it III be healthier for YOU in
the long run. 1t IS running too much
of a risk TO object. If any man is ach-
ing for chance to climb the golden
stairs, let him have his climb. All |
say is that it ain 7 in my line. If a
road agent manages to get the drop on
you, doctor, give up without any back
talk. It's really The only safe way,
and by far the cheapest. -
These sentiments seemed to meet
with universal approval from the other
| occupants OF the coach, and the doc
tor, quite crushed by the weight Of
popular opinion, relapsed into silence.
After this the conversation became
desultory, Now and then a passenger
would volunteer a remark which some
times elected a reply and sometimes
did not. The road was becoming very
heavy, and progress slow, when, 10 the
relief of the occupants, 1t came to a
stop at a relay station. While fresh
horses were being put to the coach
the passengers alighted and stepped
into the room that served as bar. Of
fee and lounglng apartment, for Sulli-
van S place was hotel as we'll as q
relay station. There was but one bev
erage sold at Sullivan 's-whiskv-
though there hung upon the wall back
of the rough bar an Illuminated card
setting forth in fiyspecked characters,
the superior merits of Bund s Jamaica
ginger But as for the ginger, there
any indications, beyond dusty litho
graphs nailed askew TO the wooden
partitions, that soda water, setZer or
extra dry champagne were procurabie
on demand. Therefore it was fortunate
that the systems of those passengers
who needed stimulation cravcd whisky
only, for that was positively ali there
WIS. on INc SllchN DdI Sluou Il BdIl
dozen thick. dirty glasses, side by side
with the long-ncckod bottle, half filled
with an amber fluid. and behind it
stood Proprietor Sullivan himself, smil-
ing blandIy under his thick red mus
tache at the assembled guests.
The passengers had not noticed at
first, in the dim light Of the room.
the figure Of a woman. clad IN deep
black and wearing a heavy veil drawn
larlE anr
ner and seemed to shrink from observa-
ton. But when Frank Slammons, the
driver, entered. after looking 10 his
cattle. and had fortified his nerves
with four fingers Of the favoritc cor
dial. Sullivan took him aside aud en-
gagged him in conversation, and mlne
host s gestures then for the first time
directed the attention of all TO the
woman.
The halt was necessarily short, and |
the passengers were soon back IN the !
coach the horses had been changed, |
and all was ready for the start. Bat |
Slammous fingered, and when he at |
length appeared at the door seemed 10
be IN no hurry. He stood there survey
ing the scene with a severely critical
eye. in his mouth a cigar. tipped up |
at such an angle that the glowing !
angle nearly touched the hrIm of his
wide sombrero, Presently there ap-
pearod in the doorway the lady |
in black. 10 whom Slammons CALAMITY
offered his arm and thus escorted her
10 the coach Surprise was depicted on
each face when the coach door opened
and Slammons. looking in. remarked,
authoritatively: "Sorry. gents, but |
shall have 10 trouble Won. Here's Il
lady goin' TO Milton. and she S goin
inside. Jump in, marm. And the
young woman jumped with remarkable
ii ightness aud took the vacant seat i'll
he forward corner.
E'Colonel, You'll look after her,
SAID Slammons at the door; "she IS in
my charge. Widow of Thompson, she
is, him that was killed down TO the
Blue Moon mine last month. but she
don t savvy word Of English, bcin
French. You knowed Thompson, didn t
ye, colonelp"
"Y.cs, knew him well enough, but
I never knew that he had a widow
her-in English,'' The door slammed
and the stage rolled ahead
AS the coach pulled out the clouds
parted for m instant and bright ray
Of sunlight lit up the interior, striking
full upon the dark veil Of the new ar
rival. II made visible the outlines of
her face, and those who caught
glimpse OF 1T were convinced that the
lady Was handsome. Indeed. Cactus
Bill, unable to repress his emotions,
leaned over TO the doctor and voiced
his admiration of the lady in husky
whisper, TO which the latter responded
with an asserting nod Of much vigor.
Nowhere in the world is lady more
certain of respectful consideration than
in the wilder portions of the west. She
is invariably treated with chivalrous
gallantry; men hasten to do her hom-
age and are proud to be commanded
by her. Still, the presence of Mrs
Thompson in the coach acted on the
party as a little restraint which Cactus
Bill vainly endcavored to dispcl.
''Fond OF travclin, ma 'am?' said
the latter, in his best off hand style, as
nc leaned toward her and smiled en-
The lady made no reply,
and the colonel nudged Crosby's elbow.
'Sh!'i he said reprovingly. "Didn t
you hear what Slammons said7 The
lady can't understand you-speaks
nothing but French"
Cactus Bill accepted the rcbuke
meekly. and made no further conver-
satlonal effort. The road became more