Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1915-08-24

"Come out Of therer' said The man %
the door In q tone that Indicated DO
would be obeyed. The two women
alighted first, handed out by the rob-
ber who was quite deferential to them.
Then came two Of the men, followed
by Joel. The coward still crouched In
his corner, with his face covered. Tne
robber had not the stamina to kill sucn
an Insignificant person. Instead ne
mounted the steps Of the coach ana
reached across 1t to the other side.
where the man was, and, seizing him,
was dragging him out when there was
crack. and the robber fell on the floor
Of the coach.
The coward made one leap. In which
he reached the ground, and there were
two more shots in quick succession,
each bringing down a robbef. Wnen
the passengers recovered from their
surprise they saw the coward standing
with a smoking bulldog" revolver IN
each hand, quite cool, but his eyes
darling about him In search Of any
other man who needed his attention.
Seeing no more robbers, he turned
quickly to one Of the men he had shot.
who was raising himself. Another
shot finished him, and this exciting
scene that had occupied about thirty
seconds was over.
While It had been enacted the two
robbers who were not engaged IN get
ting the passengers out Of the coach,
greedy for booty, had relieved the two
women and one Of the men OF their
belongings. As soon as the tragedy
was over the little coward said:
"My friends. I was sent out on this
trip to lay for Jim Dugan, who has
been robbing the coaches single hand
ed and alone. I thought I'd meet him
alone and didn't expect that he would
have any one with him. II his two
pals hadn't been In such hurry to get
the stuff and had been tending to bust
ness instead Of going through the pas
sengers that had been taken out OF the
coach I would have been goner, for
one Of them, II not both, would have
dropped me-"
He then proceeded to relieve the
fallen men, who were both dead, OF
what they had taken. One Of the ar
ticles was lump Of quartz which made
Joel Simonson open his eyes. He rec
ognized the Identical nugget OF which
he had been robbed the night before.
"See here. you little stick OF dyna
mite" he said to the man who had
killed the road agents, that thing there
Is mine"
"What makes you think soT' said the
other.
III you examine 1t you'll find my In
itials, j. ST. cut on It."
The little man turned the nugget til
he brought the letters before his eyes
then turned them over the passenger
with a scrutinizing glance. 1t did moi
take him long to spot one OF the mer
passengers.
"Who are you" he asked.
The man made no reply.
IF mistake not I've seen you once
before"
With that the little man clapped
pair of bracelets on the fellow. wh'
made no resistance.
When all had been attended to thu
coach was driven on. and on Its ar
rival in Denver the stolen property wa
returned to its owners on proof of own
ership, Joel receiving his nugget I'm
coward from the time Of his quicl
change was Il hero and received
large reward for the service he ha'
done the express company. having pu
an end to series Of robberies that MAJ
cost 1t many thousands Of dollars.
Joel Simonson sold his nugget 10
enough cash to send for his betrothe'
and to furnish capital to develop tn
around from which he had taken II
Great effort was brought to bear OF
him to learn where he had found II
but he kept his secret till he had en-
tered claim for the property; then b
began excavations which resulted Il
the discovery Of a mine that made hin
rich.
Meanwhile Mabel HARDWOOD joine'
him In Denver, and as soon as he hat
built a cabin near his mine they wen
there to sojourn while he was making
developments.
Joel Simonson became n wealthy Col
oradoan. He was sent first to the M
tional house Of representatives an
next to the senate. He lived to goo
old age and left children who hav
been an honor to him.