FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94  
95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   >>   >|  
eal. Sometimes he goes to St. Louis. I have heard that he sometimes even visits New York." "And is he not recognized?" "No; he looks like anything but an outlaw. If you should see him you might think him a prosperous merchant, or banker." "That's curious!" said Herbert. "The fact is," said the colonel, "when you travel by stage-coaches in these solitudes you have to take the chances. Now I carry my money concealed in an inner pocket, where it isn't very likely to be found. Of course I have another wallet, just for show, and I give that up when I have to." There was a stout, florid gentleman present, who listened to the above conversation with ill-disguised nervousness. He was a New York capitalist, of German birth, going out to inspect a mine in which he proposed purchasing an interest. His name was Conrad Stiefel. "Good gracious!" said he, "I had no idea a man ran such a risk, or I would have stayed at home. I decidedly object to being robbed." "Men are robbed in a different way in New York," said George Melville. "How do you mean, Mr. Melville?" "By defaulting clerks, absconding cashiers, swindlers of excellent social position." "Oh, we don't mind those things," said Mr. Stiefel. "We can look out for ourselves. But when a man points at you with a revolver, that is terrible!" "I hope, my dear sir, you take good care of your money." "That I do," said Stiefel, complacently. "I carry it in a belt around my waist. That's a good place, hey?" "I commend your prudence, sir," said the colonel. "You are evidently a wise and judicious man." "They won't think of looking there, hey?" laughed Stiefel. "I should say not." "You may think what you like, Mr. Stiefel," said a tall, thin passenger, who looked like a book peddler, "but I contend that my money is in a safer place than yours." "Indeed, Mr. Parker, I should like to know where you keep it," said Col. Warner, pleasantly. "You can't get at it without taking off my stockings," said the tall man, looking about him in a self-satisfied manner. "Very good, 'pon my soul!" said the colonel. "I really don't know but I shall adopt your hiding place. I am an old traveler, but not too old to adopt new ideas when I meet with good ones." "I think you would find it to your interest, Colonel," said Parker, looking flattered. "Well, well," said the colonel, genially, "suppose we change the subject. There isn't much chance of our being called upo
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   70   71   72   73   74   75   76   77   78   79   80   81   82   83   84   85   86   87   88   89   90   91   92   93   94  
95   96   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   >>   >|  



Top keywords:

Stiefel

 

colonel

 

Parker

 
interest
 
Melville
 

robbed

 
judicious
 

laughed

 

things

 

evidently


revolver
 

terrible

 

commend

 

position

 

complacently

 
points
 

prudence

 

Warner

 

traveler

 
hiding

Colonel

 
flattered
 

chance

 

called

 

subject

 

change

 

genially

 
suppose
 

contend

 

Indeed


peddler

 

passenger

 

looked

 

stockings

 

satisfied

 

manner

 

taking

 

social

 

pleasantly

 

chances


solitudes

 

concealed

 

coaches

 

travel

 

pocket

 

wallet

 
Herbert
 

visits

 

Sometimes

 

recognized