The Argosy, Vol. XXIV, No. 1 — page 116: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

f 116 A CUBAN HOLD UP, on two hard benches, without either blankets or mattresses, and at daylight were only too glad to go out into the open air, to escape the fleas and to stretch our aching limbs. It was with great difficulty that I restrained tom from making an assault upon our surly boniface, and finally got him into the-diligencia, which was in waiting. , Even yet, when all was ready to start, we regarded the doorway of the fonda expectantly, hoping against hope for the reappearance of yesterday’s travel- ing companions; and at the last moment, out walked the dignified Cuban gentleman—but alone! He climbed into the coach, the driver cracked his whip, the mules strained at the harness, and we were off, without even so much as a glimpse of the sevovrztas, ‘“ Well, may I be blowed !’’ ejaculated my companion, and subsiding into a corner, didn’t speak another word until—well, until it happened that he had to. The distance to Don Antonio’s zzgento was only twenty miles, and’ we had covered three fourths of it, when the event occurred. It was an open country all the way. ‘The weary mules were jogging listlessly along, kicking up a tremendous dust in the limestone road, the old coach was squeaking dismally on its huge leather straps, and the passengers were more or less wrapped in slumber. Suddenly—well, as I have already alluded to the coming attack, I cannot spring it upon the reader as perhaps I should have done, dramatically ; and will simply say that we were awakened by the muzzles of two carbines, thrust right under our noses! ‘That is, one was stuck under my nose, and another under my companion’s, and, glancing over the shining barrels, we saw two dark and threatening faces, at their hinder ends. Hach highwayman had flowing whiskers and fierce mustachios, a slouched hat and a mask that half concealed his face ; in fact, all the proper accessories of the typical ‘‘ gentleman of the road.’’ Each demanded, at the same time and in the same tone, ‘‘ Your money or your life!’’ I tried to reach around and unhitch my revolver ; but there was a simultaneous and ominous click of carbine locks, and a still more dark and deepening scowl ; so I desisted, and we submitted to be relieved of our purses and our pistols, which they politely, but firmly insisted upon appropriating. It may seem cowardly, but we had to submit.. It ought to have surprised me, I suppose, that the highwaymen spoke English, and devoted their ex- clusive attention to ’Tom and myself. But at that moment nothing seemed strange, and I should have thought it perfectly natural if they had spoken in Greek or Hebrew. Perhaps we were paralyzed at the suddenness of the. attack ; perhaps we lacked grit. Let that be as it mdy seem ’ the fact was that we were being held up in the most approved fashion. After having gathered in our money and revolvers, the highwaymen requested us to get out of the coach, and to mount two spare horses, which at this juncture an assistant led into view. And all this time, our Cuban friend was not only unmolested, but treated with apparent deference by the bandits. Neither was anybody else in the coach disturbed, nor any plunder taken away. After we had descended to the ground and mounted our steeds, the - Comichooks Se ey pe aN ae NOP Mme Same eR iri Pe sy) OMIT MOay Mee OPM Teo iee Come OUR AY OF ay 4 2 : 2 = F Eom ~