Part 36 (1/2)
”Gentlemen!” said the Colonel, angrily, ”I never was so insulted in my life. I am a man of wealth, traveling on business; I am worth a quarter of a million at least. To a.s.sociate me with road agents, whom I have as much reason to fear as you, is most ridiculous. This young man may be well-meaning, but he is under a most extraordinary hallucination. It is my belief that he dreamed the nonsense he has been retailing to you.”
”Ask the driver to stop the stage,” said Mr. Benson, a gentleman from Philadelphia. ”If Mr. Melville's story is trustworthy, we may at any time reach the spot where the highwayman is lurking. We must have a general consultation, and decide what is to be done.”
This proposal was approved, and the driver drew up the stage.
”I don't propose to remain in the company of men who so grossly misjudge me,” said the Colonel, with dignity, as he made a motion to leave his fellow pa.s.sengers.
”Stay here, sir!” said Mr. Benson, in a tone of authority. ”We cannot spare you yet.”
”Do you dare to detain me, sir?” exclaimed Warner, menacingly.
”Yes, we do,” said the German. ”Just stay where you are, Mr. Colonel, till we decide what to do.”
As each one of the company had produced his revolver, the Colonel thought it prudent to obey.
”I am disgusted with this fooling,” he said, ”You're all a pack of cowards.”
”Driver,” said George Melville, ”has this stage ever been robbed?”
”Several times,” the driver admitted.
”When was the last time?”
”Two months since.”
”Where did it happen?”
”About a mile further on.”
”Did you ever see this gentleman before?” he asked, pointing to the colonel.
”Yes,” answered the driver, reluctantly.
”When did he last ride with you?”
”On the day the stage was robbed,” answered the driver.
The pa.s.sengers exchanged glances, and then, as by a common impulse, all turned to Col. Warner, to see how he would take this damaging revelation. Disguise it as he might, he was clearly disconcerted.
”Is this true, colonel?” asked Benson.
”Yes, it is,” answered Col. Warner, with some hesitation. ”I was robbed, with the rest. I had four hundred dollars in my wallet, and the road agent made off with it.”
”And yet you just now pooh-poohed the idea of a robbery, and said such things were gone by.”
”I say so now,” returned the colonel, sullenly. ”I have a good deal of money with me, but I am willing to take my chances.”
”Doubtless. Your money would be returned to you, in all probability, if, as we have reason to believe, you have a secret understanding with the thieves who infest this part of the country.”