The Grangeville globe. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho) 1907-1922, 1914-05-28
Surprise
BY AMBROSE NEFF

lie turned away from me resolutely
and stalked into the office. The coach
was standing at the door, with six
horses attached. asked lounger
when it would start. and he said 1t
would probably not get off for an hour.
l determined to go on that coach.
struck out on the road in the direction
the stage would pursue, intending to
90 few miles. then wait till Ii came
along. trusting to five dollar bill for
the driver TO take me on. carried
out this resolution, and when the coach
reached me asked the driver to pull up.
Passengers within put their heads out
of the windows. as though they thought
the stop was "A holdup. | asked the
driver to take me on. To my surprise
he said might get on il liked, but
he would advise me not to since 1t
was very probable the coach would
be attacked by road agents
| | was somewhat set back by this in
formation, but | was bound to be in
ID. the next morning and had no other
way of getting there. Pulling open
the door. | climbed into the coach, the
| passengers looking at me as il they
thought was going through them for
their valuables. There were two men
and two women. one of the men wear
ing the white cravat of clergyman
the other being a quiet. meek looking
little chap, with II high keyed voice.
This was in contrast with the women.
who were the queerest looking persons
l ever saw both of them having voices
rough enough for the driver of an OK
team.
Air v armed. stranger" asked one
of the women.
NO" replied. Il am not
"I've got two guns. Y kin have one
on 'em if y like"
NO. no. said the clergyman. Don't
: give him gun. If we have fight
he'd start in before we're ready"
Il don't want a gum | said. I've
lived in these parts five years and new
er have been in a holdup yet. l don't
believe there's going to be any hold
, up. When road agents come down on
coach they don't tell people before
hand"
Like enough" grunted one of the
women.
l had been travelling nights and was
tired out; so, resting my head agains
:, the cushion, fell asleep. | was awak
e ened by the stopping of the coach ant
G the fiinging open of both doors. A
= man stood at each door with a shOr
a rifle. and one of them told us to sta.
2 where we were. not make any rus
* and no one would be hurt. They didn'
want our yaluables. but they did wan
the treasure box. Notwithstanding
this assurance the passengers seemed
, to be beside themselves with terror
: The clergyman begged them not to Kill
N him, the squeaky voiced man aske'
\. them to consider his wife and children
l. and both the women shrieked hoarsely
n The treasure box was taken of tn
lie boot and laid beside the road. Tw
5 men attended to that, and one of ther
was trying to get the cover OF to max
sure they were getting what they wan
cd. The door guard on that side turne
TO see what they were doing when tn
:, man with the squeaky voice cried:
% shoot"
Id Quick as flash one of the wome
he raised a cooked revolver she had col
III cealed under fold of her dress an
at shot the door guard on her side dea
l. There was a simultaneous crack, an
the other guard fell at the hands
the other woman. Before the me
~ tn thp trpaSlll
20 box could get their guns to bear BOZ
=, fell-one shot by the clergyman. II
as other by the squeaky voiced ma
We Then both the men jumped out
v the coach and finished those who we
MT only wounded.
While they were doing this the wol
on were tearing off their dresses al
flinging their ribbon bedecked hats
TN the floor. both appearing as stalWa
men. Having Invested themselves
"a their tawdry finery, they, too. left t
III coach and stood looking down up
their victims. | asked the clergym
what it all meant.
eft means" he said, that this
he Rill Owens gang That's Bill oV
m there. They have been terrorizi
re- this we're country for months. 1
'cN sheriff-that's him over there pol
ing to the squeaky voiced man
organized this party to get rid OF
The express company arranged to sc
IN a big lot O. gold over the road and
To- II leak out that it would go by t
.he coach. But that box hain't got
ne gold in it, It's full o. sand. In orr
&C. TO trap 'em we Travelled as ordin'
ear folks. two of our men making tn
her selves fine ladies'"
the saw it all except the fine ladl
who did not play the parts OF won
oyerwell. / failed to get to ID. on Z
~" coach because it was not intended
Of 90 any farther than the meeting W
tbe robbers and was now needed
take their bodies back 10 the start
'e' noint. So | said goodhy to all a
'm when | saw them numbering out
Mt sight. started of to continue my i
DOR ney on foot.