DOCTOR DICK'S DRIVE.
A pall seemed to have fallen over Last Chance, in the death of Dave
Dockery, and its life began to flag in gloom. Seeing this, and fearing
that the hold-up of the coach might injure the mines, Landlord Larry
decided to get up a scheme to attract outsiders to the mines, and so the
rumor went out of a large find of gold in one of the canyons near the
town.
A couple of miners only were put there to work it, and the claim was
known as the Doctor Dick Mine, as the gold king at once bought from the
landlord a half-interest in it.
This news stirred the miners to increased exertions in their own mines,
and also caused prospectors to go out on the search for new "finds."
The wounded passenger continued to steadily improve bodily, under the
skill and kind care of Doctor Dick, but his mind was a wreck, and no one
believed that he would ever regain his reason.
Doctor Dick hinted at an operation some day that might relieve the
pressure upon the brain, yet spoke of it also as an experiment and a
dangerous one, only to be tried as a last resort.
The man was as docile as a child, gave no trouble, and simply sat about
whittling sticks into the shape of a revolver.
At last the week passed by, when the stage was to start again upon its
run eastward.
A number of miners had volunteered as an escort, but Doctor Dick said he
would drive on the run out and come back as a passenger; and he did not
expect trouble, so would not accept an armed escort.
The night before the stage was to start, Harding, the courier to Fort
Faraway, returned. He brought with him a letter from Buffalo Bill to
Doctor Dick, and another for Landlord Larry, stating that the troops at
the fort were pressed just then with extra duty, as the Indians were in
an angry mood, and for them to do what they could for the protection of
the coaches until Major Randall could investigate and patrol the trail.
Harding had little to say of his visit to the fort, more than to hint
that the soldiers were too much occupied just then with their own
affairs to care much for the killing of a stage-driver and couple of
passengers.
As no Government funds had been taken by the outlaws, the miners would
have to look to their own protection, for a while at least.
The courier also stated that there were stories at the fort of secret
finds of gold in and about Last Chance, and he would give up his
intention, expressed some time before, of selling out his mining
interests, and instead, stick to hard work, in the hope of striking it
rich in the end.
The next morning the coach was to start, and as it was to go out at an
early hour many of the miners decided to remain up all night gambling in
order to see it leave; for it would be the Sabbath day, when they could
rest.
Doctor Dick had been too busy of late with his patient and other matters
to devote much time to gambling, and so he also decided to make a night
of it at the gambling-tables.
When the dawn came many regretted that he had done so, for never had he
played more recklessly, and never before had he been such a large
winner, for luck seemed to go his way from the start.
Play what game he might he was a winner, and going from table to table
he "broke the combination," as one of the miners expressed it.
The dawn was at hand when he went to his cabin for a bath, and in half
an hour he came back to the hotel for breakfast, looking little like a
man who had passed the night over a gambling-table.
He was dressed in his best, was well armed, and coming out from a hearty
breakfast lighted a cigar, and mounted to the stage-box at a single
bound, an act that gained for him a cheer upon his agility.
"All ready, Landlord Larry," he called out as he gathered up the reins,
and the answer was:
"No passengers, mails aboard, go!"
Doctor Dick gathered up the reins in a way that showed him a master of
the art of driving.
He looked very dashing and handsome, as he sat on the box, his long hair
falling upon his shoulders and his face showing no dread of what he
might have to encounter upon his run.
With a wave of the hand at the word, "go," he gave his whip-lash a quick
whirl, and made the crack resound like a pistol-shot.
The six horses bounded forward, and a wild yell of admiration of the
volunteer driver's pluck went up from the crowd.
As the coach rolled down the valley the miners came out from their
cabins and gave him a cheer, and it was a constant yell along the line
until he had left the last camp behind him.
The six fine horses had been sent along at a rapid pace until the camps
were left behind, the doctor showing his great skill as a driver in
dashing over places, and around corners where others had found it safer
to go slow; but when the last cabin disappeared the team was brought
down to a jog, for the way was long before them.
The scene of the last tragedy was passed at a walk, the doctor glancing
calmly at the spot where Dave Dockery had lost his life, along with his
passengers.
The first relay was made, and the stock-tender there, who had heard the
news of the hold-up from Landlord Larry's men when searching for the
road-agents, expressed pleasure at seeing the coach come in safe and
with Doctor Dick upon the box.
"Anything suspicious about, pard?" asked the doctor.
"No, sir, hain't seen a man around since poor Dave went by on the last
run, which was his last run on earth."
"Yes, poor fellow, he is gone."
"You doesn't mean ter say that yer is going ter drive ther run, Doc?"
"Only on this trip, pard, for I have other work to do; but there was no
one at Last Chance to take the coach out, so I volunteered."
"And you has the nerve ter run through, while yer handles ther ribbons
as though yer was born on a stage-box. But yer'll find drivers scarce at
t'other end, Doctor Dick, or I'm greatly mistook."
"I hope not;" and the fresh team being ready, the doctor pushed on once
more.
The second relay-station was reached at noon, and here Doctor Dick had
his dinner.
He had come over the worst part of the road, as far as danger from
attack was concerned, but had fifty miles yet before him, where a halt
was always made for the night, as there was a canyon there to go through
which could only be driven in daylight, and the relay of horses taken in
the morning had to pull on into the station at the end of the ran for
the driver on the Last Chance end of the line.
But the doctor reached what was known as Canyon-end Station soon after
dark, and after supper turned in in one of the cots in the cabin
provided for passengers, and was soon fast asleep.
He was up at an early hour, had breakfast, lighted his cigar, and with a
spanking fine team took the perilous run through the canyon at a trot,
driving the twenty miles that ended his run in a little over three
hours.
The stage rolling in at a brisk pace to the station at W----, was
greeted with cheers, for the news had come from Fort Faraway the day
before of Dave Dockery's death, the killing of one passenger, wounding
of another, and the robbery of the coach.
The brave man who had dared drive through was greeted with cheers, but
he had hardly dismounted from the box when he was informed that he
would have to drive back, as there was no driver there who would take
the risk at any price.
Other drivers had been sent for, men who were afraid of nothing, but no
one had yet been found who would drive the run to Last Chance, which had
been set down in the frontier vocabulary as the Sure-death Trail.