"`Thar's only one passenger, an' she's a woman. Which for that
matter she's a beautiful girl, with eyes like a buck antelope's; but
bein' she's layin' over to the stage station defunct right now,
along with this yere Slim Jim, I don't dwell none on how she looks.'
"'When I pulls out from Tucson I has this yere young female inside;
an' the company puts two Wells-Fargo gyards on top of the coach, the
same bein' the first time in months. These Wells-Fargo parties ain't
along for hold-ups, but jest 'cause they has business over yere, an'
so comes by stage same as other gents.
"`It all goes smooth ontil I'm rattlin' along in Rawhide Canyon not
half-a-dozen miles from where we-alls is now drinkin' all free an'
amiable, like life's nothin' but sunshine.
"'The first p'inter I has that I'm up ag'inst it, bang! goes a
Winchester, an' throws my off leader dead ag'inst the trail. Thar's
no goin' 'round the dead hoss, an' bar the nacheral rarin' an'
pitchin' of the other five on beholdin' of the ontimely end of their
companion that a-way, the whole business comes to a dead stop.
"'"Hold up your hands!" says a voice up the rocks on one side.
"'My hands is already up, for I'm an old stage-driver, gents, an'
you-alls can gamble I knows my trade.
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