Forty-one Thieves / A Tale of California

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ays. The stage still makes the daily trip over the mountains; but the glamour and romance of the gold fields have long since departed. On the morning mentioned traffic was light, for people d

passengers were Dr. John Mason and Mamie Slocum, teacher. Mamie, rosy-cheeked, dark-eyed, and pretty, was only seventeen, and ought to have been at home with her mother. She was a romanti

nzanita ran riot, its waxy green leaves contrasting with the dust-laden asters and coarse grasses by the roadside. Across the ca?on of the Middle Yuba the yellow earth of old man Palmer's diggings shone like a trademark in the landscape, proclaiming to the least initiated the leading industry of Sierra and Nevada Counties, and marking for the geologist the height of the ancient river beds, twenty-five hundred feet above the Middle Yuba and nearly at right

he Sierras to the East and civilization. Doctor, girl and Chinaman were too much occupied with their own thoughts to take much notice of the stage-driver, who, though he assumed an air of carelessness, was, in reality, on the watch for spies and robbers. For the bankers at Moore's Flat, a few miles further on, were planning to smuggle several thousa

dezvous of Mexican bandits, back in the fifties. Not many years since, in the ca?on of the South Yuba, Steve Venard, with his repeating rifle, had surprised and killed three men who had robbed the Wells Fargo Express. Some people hinted that when St

fic to that point; but at the present time, when Moore's Flat can boast but eleven inhabitants, the transfer to the stage-coach is made at North Bloomfield, several miles further on. But in 1879, Moore's Flat, Eureka Township, was a thriving place, employing hundreds

o him carelessly. Mat received it without the flicker of an eyelash. Nevertheless, he scrutinized the eight new passengers, with apparent indifference but with unerri

to ship so much dust out

me," said

an old valise belonging to Will Cummins, who, dressed in a long linen duster, had just boarded the stage. C

homeward bound to Reedsville, Pennsylvania. In the full vigor of manhood, he was a Californian of the highest type. He had always stood for law and order, and was much beloved by decent people. By the other sort it was well unde

oes, the stage rolled out of Moore's Flat, a

ning, Mr.

ke; and Cummins, susceptible to f

me the shivers to pass through these woods.

"It was along here somewhere, I think, that

bout it,"

en. But the Chinamen caught him, tied his hands and feet, slung him on a pole like so much pork an

ning in pleasant rev

ten Chinamen were prepared to testify to the fact. But counsel argued that by the laws of the State a white man could not be convicted on the testimony of Chinamen; and that, within the meaning of the statute, in vi

unty; but Mamie laughed gleefully, a

to bump Geor

an honest man, a

. That cullud ni

the Back-Bone, beyond which lay the village of North Bloomfield. By the roadside loomed a tall lone rock, placed as if by a perverse Providence especiall

left the coach; and a store-keeper and two surveyors employed by the great Malakoff Mining Company took passage to Nevada City. In those halcyon days of hydraulic mining, the Malakoff,

lection of half a dozen buildings including a store and a hotel. Through the open door of the store a huge safe was visible, for here was one of those depositories for gold dust locally known as a ba

City," Cummins said, addressing the lady, who

anker, "that Mary hasn't been up to M

ght, to wish me a pleasant journey. Eighteen of the twenty-one wer

s Flat. You are the only one travelling in this direction; and the fou

ot wide, you know. Remember our walk to Chipp's Flat, the last time you were here? No

But to-day for the first time it made his heart yearn for the love he had missed. Mary Francis was thirty-five now. Twenty-five years ago he was twenty and she was a little bashful girl. Her father's house had been the rendezvous of Californians on their occasional visits in the East. His mind traveled back over old scenes; but soon the ca?on of the South Yuba burst upon his vision, thrilling him with its grandeur and challengin

At sight of the revolver the men began to fidget; and, exc

seat as lordly as Ph[oe]bus Apollo, felt cold shivers run down his spine. From every bush, stump and rock he expected a masked man to step forth. Could he depend upon Cummins and the Chinaman? How slowly the horses labored up that fatal hill

g. The store-keeper from North Bloomfield began to tell a humorous story of a lone highwayman who, with a double-barrelled shot gun waylaid the Wells Fargo Express near Downieville. A

the men mounted the log and held up their hands. Then a load of hay approached, and the driver mounted the log with the others. Then came another wagon, wi

t shoot, and I will do

obber's gun was accidentally discha

ess," and immediately

driver a sack, directing him to put his gold dust therein. This done, he s

f the South Yuba safely passed, and the stage bowl

al

, and Charley Chu drew his revolver. The passengers in a p

tage opposite the robber; and but for the duster, buttoned from chin to ankles, he would have had the dead wood on that robber. It was not to be; and Cummins, hands in air, j

aying his hand on Cummins' old valise.

s Mr. C

defend it with my life." With that he seized the robber, overpowered him, and went d

lp me?" shouted Cummin

an. The other robber, seeing his partner overpowered, passed quickly along in front of the line of passengers, placed his g