Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1915-04-15

men. The women expressed fears OF
being robbed, for the coach had been
stopped by the agents at least one day
in the week for month. One of the
women expressed wonder why the
authorities Gid not do something to
clear the roads of the robbers. At this
quiet looking little man in corner
seat said that to eradicate them would
be impossible. He hoped that he would
reach Denver in safety, and if he did
he would never ride in coach again
Suddenly the coach stopped The
little man trembled from head to foot.
When it was learned that the pause
was to enable the driver to fix some
part of the harness the other passen-
gers jeered the little man for his timid-
ity, whereupon he wrapped himself
up in his greatcoat and settled back
in his corner. The men passengers
clustered a good deal about what they
would do If attacked, and the women
were very sneering in their remarks
about the coward
The coach had passed down from an
eminence and was about to climb an
other when shot was heard. The
coach again came to stop. and this
time it was evident that something
serious had happened. In twinkline
the door was thrown open and II man
with an enormous revolver pointed into
the coach appeared at the opening.
The women screamed, two of the
men turned pale and, as for the little
coward. he crouched in his corner
wrapped in his overcoat, which also
covered his face The only uncon-
cerned person in the coach was Joel
Simonson. who. not having anything
valuable to lose. was not at all wor-
ried.
Come out of therev' said the man at
the door in a tone that indicated he
would be obeyed. The two women
alighted first. handed out by the rob-
Then came two of the men, followed
by Joel The coward still crouched in
his corner. with his face covered The
robber had not the stamina to kill such
an insignificant person. Instead he
mounted the steps of the coach and
reached across it to the other side,
where the man was, and selling 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 We're
two more shots in quick succession,
each bringing down robber When
the passengers recovered from their
surprise they saw the coward standing
with smoking bulldog" revolver in
each hnnd. 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 vas 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 lis the tragedy
was over the little coward said:
My friends, was sent out on this
trip to lay fer lin Dugan. who has
been robliAg the coaches single hand
ed and alone. 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 III 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 ! would have been a goner, for
one of them, if nor 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 w8s 4 lump of quartz Which made
Joel Simonson open his eyes. lie rec
ogni2ed 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 so:" said the
other
IF you examine it you'n find my in
itials, j. S. cut on it,"
The little man turned the nugget till
he brought the letters before his eyes.
then turned them over the passengers
with a scrutini2ing glance 1t did not
take him long TO spot one of the men
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 a
pair of bracelets on the fellow, who
made no resistance.
When ali had been attended to the
coach was driven on. and on its ar
rival in Denver the stolen property was