to manage four tolerably skittish horses
with both hands full of leather, he haint much time to fool around
huntin' shootin' irons, 'specially when he's got to look down into the
muzzle of a repeater which is likely to go off and hurt somebody."

"Do you think these stage robbers, as a rule, are disposed to kill
anybody?" asked Manning.

"Why, sir," answered the driver, "they would just as soon kill a stage
driver as eat their breakfast, and they know how to handle a rifle,
too, let me tell you."

"There's something in that reasoning," replied Manning, laughingly. "But
go on with your story."

"Well," continued the driver, "I had made several trips and had met with
no trouble or accident, so I began to think the gang had gone away from
these parts, and that there was no danger to be feared. However, I still
carried a brace of good revolvers in a handy place, just to make sure I
was safe; though, Lord bless you, I knew I couldn't get at them in time
to do any good, if the robbers did attack us.

"Well, one morning--it was a cold, raw day in April--I left Billings
with my coach full of people, most of whom were goin' through to Helena,
although I only drove as far as Bozeman, just as I do now. I had nine
passengers, all told, and among the number was an old ranchman named
Kyle Barton, and his handsome daughter. I tell you, she was a stunner;
her hair was as black as a crow, and her bright black eyes sparkled
like diamonds. I knew 'em both pretty well, for the old man owned a
ranch out near Bozeman, and was as fine a man as ever stood six feet in
his boots. The young woman was a fiery little beauty, and as hard to
manage as a three-year-old colt. The old man and his daughter had been
on a trip to the East, and were now returning home again, after bein'
away several months. Well, the young woman, as I have said, for all she
was as pretty as a picture, had a devilish wicked look in her flashing
black eyes, that made a fellow kind 'o wilt when she looked him square
in the face.

"The young woman took her seat on the inside, while the old man, who was
hardy and tough as a pine knot, took his place on the outside, right
where you are sittin' now. It was pretty cold, and we had to bundle up
pretty well, but the old man didn't mind it a bit. He smoked his pipe
and passed his bottle--thankee', yes, sir, I don't care if I do--and we
were enjoying of ourselves amazin'.

"We journeyed along all day," continued the driver, as