The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1913-01-17
'FFstAtF I've t@ttft
Cowy,aardlly
Schoolmaster
By ELEANOR TRASk

When my husband got the gold fever,
away back in the seventies, and de-
clared he would 20 to Colorado. after
trying a long while to dissuade him. |
said. VERY we'll; I'll go with you" He
was mighty pleased at that. for | was
20 opposed to bis going that he eve
dreamed he would have me with him.
When we got out to Colorado and
Jim went roaming about with his pick
l went with him. though about the
only thing | could do for him was to
cook and mend his clothes. We biv-
ouacked most of the time. though &C.
c%asionally we found u deserted hut.
half logs and half earth. But we didn't
like to stop at any Of them. for there
vas generally nearby evidence of the
failure Of ~prospectors in the shape of
holes in the ground.
Up to a certain point we had the
same luck as the diggers Of these
holes. but at last one day while we
were taking a Dol rest and Jim q
nap. seeing some red rock near by that
looked as il there might be gold in it.
I took the pick and. going to where it
a Clipped of a bit of it. 1t looked
20 we'll that | awakened Jim. who
the moment he saw it 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 l could get any one to
furnish the money to develop our find.
l filed a 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 mad been told that it
wouldn't be safe to carry any valu-
ables. for the coach had been robbed
nearly every day. They we're all very
nervous and at the least sound were
badly frightened. There were a woman
with q coarse voice and coarser fea-
lures. a couple OF miners and 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 a corner rs though DESTROYS of max
ing himself As inconspicuous as posi-
BILE. He was a small sized man.. but
seemed ~ M not to lack strength.
The woman asked him what he would
do II he were attacked, and the ques-
don seemed to throw him into q panic.
He trembled all over.
The road agents stopped us. sure
enough. We heard q voice in advance
Of rs say to the driver. Rein up. JOSH
and the coach came to a standstill. 1t
was all 81 quiet that VI could hardly
believe we were held up. But present
y the door of the coach was thrown
open and u man with q revolver in
his right hand stood at the opening.
Az soon as he let 90 the door with
the other hand he took an additional
revolver from his belt.
"Step out. please. ladies and gents"
he said In a tone 20 gentle that one
would have supposed We had come. to
the end Of our journey. The two min
ere got out first. then the woman. l
saw q glance pass between the robber
and her that made me believe they
friends. As she passed him he
asked. Anything worth having?" to
which she replied. There's 4 man in
there playin' schooimaster, but l U.S.
pect he's carryin' funds for a bank"
Az she said this she threw OF her -wo-
mans hat and unbuttoned her dress.
ind It fell at her feet. revealing q he
and not q she. gig
The only One remaining in the coach
were the schoolmaster, and I. sitting. he
o. the front. | on the back seat. But
while this was going Oh he crowded
down under the middle seat. .
Come out O. that" yelled the rob-
Der, but the schoolmaster failed to
obey. and the robber undertook to
drag him out. To do this with q re-
volver In each hand was impossible.
He put n weapon back in his belt
and with the free hand reached in un.
der the seat and took the schooimaster
BY the collar. While he was pulling
him out | heard 4 sharp explosion and
saw the robber fall back. But before
had had time ven to wonder what
had happened | saw the schOolmaster
Jump like a 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 TIN he got a
pair of bracelets on the fallen mans
wrists.
1t turned out that the schooImaster
was 4 sheriff. The recent robberies
had all been committed by two men.
One travelled on the coach In various
disguises in order to learn what val
sahles were aboard the coach: the 9TH
d did the robbing. The sheriff had
spotted the travelling partner and had
gohee y 4 passenger to break up their
nme. playing dmid in order 70 fsad
h. enemies into an ambush Y
IL 1rohbel that had been kiiled was
Etsried bstore We, proceeded. His pal
was taken on the coach down - Don
vsr, whese he was tried tor hiSkHiiy-