The San Francisco call., 1910-09-04

mean their death. said. TIL 20 to
Tucson"
There was a mid protest. but before
his inststencs the others gave way.
To go to Tucson for aid meant his
passing through the zone OF hre-
There was no hope OF getting away
without being seen The only chance
lay IN dash
At dead OF night. when there was n
lun in the intermittent firing. Hodges
proclaimed himself ready. The horses
were harnessed to the coach. but as he
mounted to the box and gathered the
lines he heard a feminine voice ask:
will you take me as your pas
senger?"
He looked down and recognized .
Miss Mark Androes, a passenger en-
route to Los Angeles, where she was
to be married
Impossible" said Hodges.
II must co." said the girl Il can
not stand this any longer. Let me 60"
Time was running short and the girl
insisted. Hodges finally gave IN and
helped her to a seat inside Take
your chances then-and hold on tight"
The long whip caught the nigh lead
er under the flank and the coach rat .
tied out into the open Instantly from
every side there broke forth lines OF
fire. the bullets rfddling the coach.
Hodges only answer was to cut tho
lash across the backs of the horses
and send them careentns down a rocky
ravine They plunged and the coach
bumped and nearly capsized. but he
held on. AZ the same time his com
rades heroically frightened their camp
fires to draw the Indian bullets on
themselves.
Il got through" said Hodges casual
ly. He ran that coach into Tucson
at breakneclx speed. secured aid and
succeeded in saving the besfeged band !
Neither he nor the girl was touched.
and the latter ultimately reached Los
Angeles and was married
Such was one OF his adventures and
his life was filed with them He
came to California In 1858 and took
up stage driving as a regular voca-
ton and in time was given the famous
route. the Placerviue road, running
from Sacramento. through PIacerviIe
and on to Virginia City. Nevada On
this road he drove the mail and ex-
press coaches and on many of the trips
carried treasure amounting to 500
600. AS a result he was made the
victim OF half dozen OF the greatest
holdups in the history OF the state
The plan OF the robbers was to in
variably kill the nigh horse and thus
prevent an escape. II they failed to
do this. Hodges would sweep his long
lash across his teams and be or In
a cloud OF dust. leaving the dunn
founded robbers gazing blankIy at each
other. For this reason he was valu-
able as a driver. when they have YOU"
he explained. pull UP and take life
easy; but il they leave you a hole
then make for it."
Necessarily. he required great skill.
the bandits having a penchant for
choosing particularly uninvfting places
for their robberies. The mountaiE
roads were narrow and dangerous at
the best and at the bad places, such
as the bandits picked. they were the
merest apologies for highways For
this reason the robbers chose them.
thinking that no driver would try
tricks thereon; but after Hodges had
smashed by them once or twice. with
the passengers and guards popping like
possessed devils from the interior OF
the coach. they decided that the only
way to halt him was to kill the lead
horse. When they had accomplished
this feat Hodges grinned and took
his medicine.
On the Bodie road in Nevada. between
Bodie and Carson. ne met with such an
experience The treasure box was well
loaded and the coach was filed with
passengers There were guards ont
side and in and a daring gun nessenrer
perched beside the drivers box. The
strong defense gave the passengers n
sense of security and one Of the pas
sengers. woman, started to wbiIa
away the hours by singing. Romanca
was in the air. The singing strrcx
a sentimental chord In the svsterz =,
the guards. and their guns neglieep+Iv
dangled on their knees Sudden1v -.
concert was brought to an abrunt ha,.
by the resounding report of a slu~
loaded shotgun Down went tha 49,
leader The horses plunged and ktct<.a