The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-01-09
A Cowardly
Schoolmaster
By ELEANOR TRASK

trying long while to disSuade him. |
said. Very we'll; I'll go with YOU" He
was mighty pleased ut that. for | was
SO opposed to his going that he never
dreamed he would have me with him.
When we got out to Colorado and
Jim went roaming about with his pick
went with him. though about the
only thing | could do for him was to
cook and mend his clothes We biv-
0uucked most Of the time. though &C.
casi0Bally we found deserted hut.
half logs and half earth. But we didn't
like to stop at any of them. for there
was generally nearby evidence Of the
failure of prospectors in the shape Of
holes in the ground
Up to certain point we had the
same luck as the diggers of these
holes. but ut last one day while we
were taking noon rest and Jim a.
nap. seeing some red rock near by that
looked as if there might be gold in it.
took the pick and. going TO where it
was Clipped off bit Of it. 1t looked
so we'll that :: awakened Jim. who
the moment he saw 1t declared that it
was nearly all gold.
We worked the place for several
days. at the end of which time it was
decided that should go down to Den
yer and see if could get any one to
furnish the money to develop our find.
filed bag carried with specimens.
some of which were intended to pay
my way. left Jim with the claim.
walked to the road where the stage
passed and when it came along got
aboard
The passengers had been told that it
wouldn't be safe to carry any valu-
ables. for the coach had been robbed
nearly every day. They were all very
nervous and at the least sound were
badly frightened. There were Il woman
with il coarse voice and cOarser fea-
lures. couple of miners ana a school
master The coarse woman said she
didn't care how many road agents we
would meet. for she hadn't anything
to lose. The schoolmaster Shrank back
IN ID corner us though DESTROYS OF max
ing himself as incenspicuous as posi-
seemed to me not to lack strength.
-ae woman asked him what he would
d. if he were attacked. and the ques-
ton seemed to throw him into il panic.
Ee trembied all over.
The road agents stopped us. sure
enough. We heard voice in advance
of us say to the driver. Rein up. Josh"
and the coach came to Standstill. 1t
was all SO quiet that we could hardly
believe we were held mp. But present
ty the door OF the Coach was thrown
open and "a man with revolver in
As soon as he let 90 the door with
the other hand he took an additional
revolver from his belt
Step ont. please. ladies and gents
he said III tone 81 gentle that one
would have supposed we had come to
the end of our Journey. The two min
erS got out first. then the woman |
saw glance PASS between the rObDer
and her that made me believe they
were friends AS she passed him he
asked. Anything worth having!" t"
which she replied. There's Il man in
there piuyin schooIuiaster. but sus
pert he's carryin funds for bank"
As size said this she threw Off her wo-
mans hat and unbuttoned her dress.
and it fell at her feet. revealing he
and not u she
The only ones remaining in the coach
were the scliao!master and |. sitting. he
on the front. | on the back seat. But
while this was going on he crowded
down under the middle seat. :
Come out O. that" yelled the rob
Der. but the schooimaster failed to
obey. and the robber undertook to
drag him out To do this with re-
vOlver in each hand was impossible.
He put one weapon tack in his belt
and with the free hand reached In I'M
der the seat and took the schOOimaster
by the collar. While he was pulling
him out heard a sharp explosion and
saw the rObber fall back But before
l had had time even to wonder what
jump like tiger on to the man that
had been playing woman and bear him
to the ground. The miners. seeing a
chance for victory. sprang to his assist
ance and held his victim till ne got a
pair Of bracelets on the fallen mans
wrists.
1t turned out that the Jschooimaster
was a sheriff The recent robberieS
had all been committed by two men.
One Travelled on the coach in various
DISCUSSES in order to learn what val
uables were aboard the coach: the 9TH
er did the r0bbing- The sheriff had
spotted the travelling partner and had
gone as a passenger to break up their
game. playing, timid in order to lead
his eneInies.into an ambush. ~. !. .:...a.
The robber that had been killed was
buried before we proceeded His pal
was taken: on the. coach down to Den !,
yer. where he was tried for q highway
man and sent to. prison for twenty
years. As for the sheriff. he went back
TO where lie had. come. from and. CON
.inuedi his official. duties as unostenta-
..iously as If. nothing had happened
But he received barge reward from
The express company which was send
ing treasure over the route.
Ihad good luck in Denver in the as
says of my Jumps and succeeded In
0ottinp canitai m dayplon orr claim