The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-19
TALES BY BRET HARTE
WRITTEN i'm HIS EARLY YEARS

gentlemen" said the Colonel blandly as
he opened the door won't you please
get out? Don't you trouble yourself to
draw, COS my friend here's got his
weapon cooked. an his fingers is rather
nervous Amt got handkerchief. hey
yer?" asked he of the first passenger
who descended from the stage. "IIcv?
Well, now that's lucky. just put yer
hands behind you, please-so--that's it,"
And the unfortunate man was securely
bound in an instant.
Boys" said the Colonel, calling his
brother agents aside and comparing re-
ceipts, "t'aint much Of a haul, but there's
only one woman. an she's old enough
to be a fellers grandmother. Better let
her alone, eh?"
Like enough she'll pan out morc'n
all the rest Of the stage put together"
growlcd Cranks, carefully testing the
thickness of the case Of gold watch.
Just like the low lived decetfulncss of
some folks to hire an old woman to
carry their money so it'd go safer.
Maybe what she's got aln't nothin' to
some folks that's got bosses that kin
win money at races, but"
The Colonel abruptly ended the con-
versat!un and approached the stage He
was very chivarous. but Cranks's sar-
castle reference to Tipsie needed avcng-
ing, and as he could not consistently
with business arrangements put am end
20 Cranks the old lady would have to
suffer.
II beg your pardon, ma'am." said the
Colonel. raising his hat politely with
one hand while he opened the coach
door with the other. but we're takin
| up collection for some descrvin' object
We wuZ a-goin' to make the gentlemen
! fork over the full amount. but cz they
amt got enough we will hev to bother
YOU"
The old lady trembled. felt for her
pocketbook, raised her veil. The Colonel
looked into her face slammed the stage
door and sitting on the hub of one of
the wheels stared vacantly into space.
"Nothin'?" queried Perkins in a
whisper. and with face fun of genuine
| sympathy.
! Moves" said the Colonel dreamily.
! That Is, unite 'cm and let the stage go
| ahead he continued, springing to his
/ feet. 'Ili hurry back to the cabin"
! And the Colonel dashed into the bushes
| and left his followers So paralyZcd that
Old Black afterward remarked that "ef
! there'd been anybody to the hossos he
could hev cleaned the hull crowd with
! his whip"
Great was the surprise of the road
agents as they entered their hut. for
there stood the Colonel in clean white
shirt, and in a suit of clothing made
from the limited. spare wardrobcs of the
other members of the gang.
But the suspicious Cranks speedily
subordInatcd his wonder to his prudence.
as. laying on the table u watch. two
| pistols a pocketbook and heavy purse,
| he exclaimed:
"Come. Colonel, business before
pleasure; let's divide an scatter. Ef
anybody Should hear about this robbery,
an find our trail. an ketch the traps in
our possession. they might"
divide yerselves." said the Colonel,
don't want none Of ii. Somebody lend
me $50 til | see him ag'in."
Perkins pressed the money into the
Coloners hand and within two minutes
the Colonel was on Tipsir's back and
had galloped off in the direction the
stage had taken.
He overlook it, he passed ii and still
he galloped on.
The people at Mud Gulch knew tn,
Colonel well and made a rule never to
be astonishcd At anything he did; bu