The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1916-09-14
A WILD WEST
EPISODE
By ELlNOR MARSH


young lady who had recently been
graduated from normal school In the
east, received an offer to go to Denver
to I'll the position OF teacher at thar
time the Union Pacific railroad was
building, and trains were running as
far as Laramie. From Laramie the
only public conveyance to Denver was
by stngecOach.
The train numbered over long stretch
cs Of alkali fields, Il good deal OF the
way beside the Platte river which. not
having any trees on Its banks. remind.
cd her Of n man with no hair or beard.
Miss IIlldred reached Laramie In the
evening. and. since the daily coach did
not leave till the next morning, She
took room in tavern and went to
bed. The town had sprung up like
mushroom In the night, comprising that
kind Of population which can only be
understood by view of it. Miss Ilil-
drcd was tired and would have slept
soundly had it not been for revclry In
d dance hall close by. zone lady more
for this sct!' "Alamand left!' Swing
your partncrv' "Keno"' were mingled
in confusion.
This Introduction to western life ut
that time was not encouraging. but
more vivid experience was reserved
for the next day. After a sieepiess
night the young schoolma'am break
tasted and went out to board the coach
for Denver. A man stood ut the door.
only permitting certain persons to en-
ter. On seeing Miss Hildred he stop,
ped her md was about to turn her back
when man standing near spo', to
him, evidently referring to the young
lady.
"Arc you in TT" asked the man regu-
lating the entrances.
Miss Hildrcd. supposing that he
wished to know If she was going to
Denver, gave an affirmative nod Of her
head. She got into the coach. the door
was shut and the vehicle rolled away.
Il thort," said woman, with very
coarse voice. that there was to be six
Of us. l see there's SEVEN
THAT'S not cOuntin' the kid" said
man in a white cravat which was sup
posed to designate him as clergyman.
at the same time casting glance at
Martha
Three Of the passengers were men
and three were women, the latter all
being strapping creatures apparently
as strong rs the men. Miss Hildred
was on the back seat sandwichcd be
tween n man and woman.
Can you use another weepon. kid
dy?" said the woman beside her.
got one more'n need"
Miss Hildred looked ut her blankly.
not understanding what she meant.
"Oh, | see! NUNS the word" said
the other and made no further ad
vances.
There are no outsiders today" said
one Of the men, who wore the SON.
brero, wooden shirt and trousers tuck
ed In his boots Of the typical westerner
Of the period.
"No," replied a quiet little man, the
only delicate looking person in the
coach. THE agent concluded to man
age it with only insiders. He was
afraid that too many would scare 'em
off"
All this was Greek to Miss Hildred,
but she was thinking about what she
would find in her new field Of labor
and was not paying any attention to 1t.
Suddenly shot rang out ahead.
The coach came to a stop, the door
was thrown open, and two men stood
facing it with short guns pointing into
the coach
step out. ladies and gentlemen,
said the man nearest the door.
No one made move to do So but
one of the women. apparently much
frightened, cried out, Don't shoot
me- and with her arm raised the
muzzle Of the gun held by the man
standing nearest her Another one Of
the passengers at the same time shook
n Dcrringer pistol out Of his sleeve and
quick as flash Of lightning put bull
let into the brain Of the man whose
gun had been knocked up. The quiet
little man covering in corner sud
denly seemed to explode. and the 9th
er road agent, for that is what the
men without were. fell dead.
Miss Hildred at this point tainted
dead away. When she came to her
self she was stretched out beside the
road. while six men stood about her.
The first idea that popped into her
head was rs to where were the three
women passengers. One Of the men
pulled out a flask and tried to induce
her to take q drink. but she refused.
Raising herself on her elbow in an
effort to get up she saw two dead men
and tainted again. On coming to her.
self second time one Of the men ex.
claimed:
How in thunder did you get into
this gang?"
When later the coach rolled into
Denver there was first class story to
be told. The express company. in or,
der to entrap Il couple Of road agents
who had infested the road, permitted
1t to leak out that 1t would send