him, robber that he was."

"Now, girls," said Baugh, addressing Carter and the stranger, "I've
made you a bed out of the wagon-sheet, and rustled a few blankets
from the boys. You'll find the bed under the wagon-tongue, and we've
stretched a fly over it to keep the dew off you, besides adding
privacy to your apartments. So you can turn in when you run out of
stories or get sleepy."

"Haven't you got one for us?" inquired the cattle-buyer of Baugh.
"This is no time to throw off, or refuse to be sociable."

"Well, now, that bank robbery that you were telling the boys about,"
said Baugh, as he bit the tip from a fresh cigar, "reminds me of a
hold-up that I was in up in the San Juan mining country in Colorado.
We had driven into that mining camp a small bunch of beef and had
sold them to fine advantage. The outfit had gone back, and I remained
behind to collect for the cattle, expecting to take the stage and
overtake the outfit down on the river. I had neglected to book my
passage in advance, so when the stage was ready to start I had to
content myself with a seat on top. I don't remember the amount of
money I had. It was the proceeds of something like one hundred and
fifty beeves, in a small bag along of some old clothes. There wasn't a
cent of it mine, still I was supposed to look after it.

"The driver answered to the name of South-Paw, drove six horses, and
we had a jolly crowd on top. Near midnight we were swinging along, and
as we rounded a turn in the road, we noticed a flickering light ahead
some distance which looked like the embers of a camp-fire. As we came
nearly opposite the light, the leaders shied at some object in the
road in front of them. South-Paw uncurled his whip, and was in the act
of pouring the leather into them, when that light was uncovered as big
as the head-light of an engine. An empty five-gallon oil-can had been
cut in half and used as a reflector, throwing full light into the
road sufficient to cover the entire coach. Then came a round of
orders which meant business. 'Shoot them leaders if they cross that
obstruction!' 'Kill any one that gets off on the opposite side!'
'Driver, move up a few feet farther!' 'A few feet farther, please.'
'That'll do; thank you, sir.' 'Now, every son-of-a-horse-thief, get
out on this side of the coach, please, and be quick about it!'

"The man giving these orders stood a few feet behind the lamp and
out of sight, but the muzzle of a Winchester was plainly vi