Hearts West Read Free Page B

driver’s arms shot back up.
    â€œWe’ll take your treasure box,” the man with the six-shooter demanded.
    â€œIt’s on the other stage,” the driver insisted.
    The bandit snickered. “Then we’ll keep you here until the other stage comes around,” he warned.
    The driver studied the dress of the bandits for a quick moment. Their feet were encased in gunnysacks and tied in place at the ankle, a trick professionals used so no visible footprints would be left for a posse to follow. The driver realized these were ruthless desperados who would make good on their threats, and he finally relented. “It’s no use fooling any longer,” he said. “This is the only stage tonight.”
    The man with the six-shooter snickered again. “That’s what we thought.”
    A bandit carrying a shotgun aimed the barrel of the weapon at the driver’s head and motioned for him to move away from the stage. The two other thieves instructed the passengers to do the same.
    After lining the travelers up against a nearby fence, the gunmen climbed on top of the stage and headed for the strongbox attached to the coach. Several attempts were made to break into the safe with a pick, but to no avail. The thieves decided to blow the lock with gunpowder.
    Eleanor looked on in horror as one of the men hauled a small canister of gunpowder from his saddlebag on the stage. The safe was in direct proximity to the passengers’ luggage. An explosion would destroy the trunks and all of their belongings.
    â€œStop,” Eleanor yelled. The men halted their work to listen to the prospective bride. “Gentlemen, my trousseau is in my trunk. Won’t you take it down before you blow up the coach?”
    The thief with the six-shooter stood up and backed away from the safe. “With pleasure, miss,” he replied. Eleanor walked over to the stage as the robber chief jumped off and motioned for the gunman near the safe to toss her trunk down. As he reached up to take hold of the trunk, Eleanor noticed a long, jagged scar on the back of the man’s hand. She filed the image away in her mind and was pleased at the sight of her possessions being returned to her. The highwayman turned away and went about his business.
    KABOOOOOOMMMM!!!
    Seconds after the robbers lit the fuse on the canister of gunpowder, a fierce explosion ripped through the stagecoach. The thieves wasted no time searching through the rubble to find the gold. After securing their ill-gotten gain in their saddlebags, the leader hopped on the back of his horse. “Come on!” he yelled to his cohorts. Following suit, the gunmen leapt onto their rides and all four hurried off into the trees, disappearing from sight.
    The shaken driver inspected the damage to his coach and determined that the frame of the stage and the running gear were still intact. The spooked horses were settled and readied to continue the journey to Grass Valley. The passengers found their places on the shattered coach and they were off.
    Upon their arrival in Nevada City, the crime was quickly reported to authorities, and police officers immediately set out to apprehend the culprits. The stage then proceeded on to its appointed destinations, first depositing Eleanor at the cottage of her betrothed.
    Louis Dreibelbis’s landlady greeted the exhausted bride and informed her that her fiancé had been called out of town but would return shortly. The kind woman escorted Eleanor into a room where she could prepare for the wedding.
    The bride-to-be washed away the dust and dirt from her travels with a bath the landlady drew for her. Afterward, she dressed in her most elegant attire, pinned up her hair, and made up her face.
    â€œIt’s time, dear,” the landlady said as she burst into the bedroom. Eleanor quickly stood up, smoothed down her dress, and checked her look in the mirror. The next time she saw her reflection she would be Mrs. Louis