The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-09
STRATEGY WITH
GOOD RESULTS,
BY SUMNER chlLps.
copyright, 1903. by American Press Asso

lCopyright, 1908 by American Press Asso-
ciation.l
"A love story in my life" said the
ex-stage driver. You bet. 1t hap
pened on the last drive | made, and
that driv. was between Virginia City
and Sacramento. At that time there
was frequent stage robberies O the
Wells Fargo express treasure OWN
to the fact that some one connected
with the company was passin' word
to the road agents wherever a large
amount O gold dust was to be shipped.
Well one day a lot O treasure boxes
was hoisted aboard the stage and the
inside was full O passengers when
little schoolma am from New England
came a-trippin' along from the tavern.
maxim straight for us. When she
come up was on the box and told
her the coach was full and she'd bet
ter take the next one. She looked aw-
full disappointed and said she was due
at one OF the stations On the road the
next day and there wouldn't be an
other coach goin' for three days. The
passengers was all men, and they
poked their heads out O. the winders,
starin' at the gal, but not one of 'em
offered to git outside and give her his
seat. She looked mighty astonished
at this, for she'd been travelin' in
coaches in the west and knew what
Difference was usually shown to wo-
men.
"What'd the little gal do but climb
right up beside me- The express agent
who was superintendent the loadin' O.
the boxes told her she couldn't go on
that coach. She asked why, and he
, said the coach might be attacked by
road agents. She answered him by
sayin' that the road agents was well
come to all she had. tipped the lead
! ers on the ear. and we were off.
Il was a young man then. and didn't
let slip chance to say soft things to
the little schoolma'am. told her that
| if we was attacked she mustn't be
IilS htSuSN. Aol AooO dSCAAo WOuIuh
hurt such Il tender little thing as she
But noticed she Struggled pretty close
to me- We'd gone past the second re-
lay when suddenly, on maxim turr
= around a bluff. man stepped out and
said good naturally:
".I'n take your Wells Fargo freight
If you please
"'You'll find it in the boot l re
marked. pullin' in.
1.-The Teller had no rife. but ] knew
that his pals was coverin' me from
behind the bushes. He went to thu
boot. unstrapped the cover. and one b.
! one his hackers joined him and helpe,
him of with the boxes One O. tn
men come up front and said he'd TAX
the mail bag if | didn't mind reach
ed under my seat. pulled it out ant
dropped II down to him
"'Goodness gracious exclaimed tn,
little schoolrna am. what Il lonely plac,
for postothce!!'
poor little innocent! She never mis-
trusted that she was sittin' on a vol
cano. And didn't want her to. l tol,
her the bag would be taken to tow
Off the road where the postottice wa
located.
by this time the boxes was VI
loaded on the grass beside the coach
The robbers was tryin' to git off til
covers by rippin' 'em up with their BIZ
knives when all of a sudden there wa
a crackin' O. rifles from within til
coach. -Four road agents toppled ove1
three ran for their lives. The littl
schoolma am threw her arms aroun
me and buried her face in my whish
ers.
you see. the company had sent tn
coach out for a decoy. A few days bt
fore they had let 1t leak out that o
that date they would send $4,000
worth O. dust over the road. OF cours
this was reported to the band. who la
In wait to relieve us O the treasure
The boxes were filed with sand. an
in every seat inside the coach sat
man with concealed gun. They ha
a leader. who watched till the agen,
got careless. when he gave the word I
fire and scooped the party.
We'll, left the little schoolma'a a.
,, with her arms around my neck, and
was in no hurry to unwind 'em. II
men in the coach got out, examine
the dead. took in the only man left an
signaled me to drive on.
IL was very much mortified
said to the gal. at what appeared tt
bad manners O the men In the coae
not maxim way for you when you g
~. But. you see, to have had woms
in that party would have spoiled tt
game. The express agent knew wis
I was a-goin' to happen and tried
stop you goin' with us, but when yo
climbed up here so contident-like
hadn't the heart to make you git dow
I'm glad you come, though
! WHY
well. / found 1t mighty nice to fe
your
She blushed red as ROSTERS com
: aud moved as far as she could get 6
the other end O the seat.