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Updated: May 25, 2025
He did not spare his horse, and overtaking the crowd of half a hundred miner-horsemen, he was greeted with a cheer, which he acknowledged by gracefully raising his sombrero. Riding to the front of the column he took his place by the side of Landlord Larry, and set a faster pace than that at which they had been going. "You say that Dave Dockery was able to write a note, landlord?"
The body was encased in a board coffin, and behind followed eight men carrying the body of Brassy. Following were the miners, marching eight abreast, and in solid column, nearly a thousand men being in line, and among them were led the horses which Dave Dockery was wont to drive, his belt of arms, hat, and whip being carried on top of his coffin.
But when the coffin, with the weapons, hat, and whip of Dave Dockery was lowered into the grave, hundreds of bold, brawny men stepped forward and threw in upon it benches of wild flowers they had gathered, and when filled up, the little mound was covered from view by these sweet offerings of manly regard for the dead driver, while in strange contrast was the barren grave of Brassy, for his immediate friends had not thought of gathering flowers, there being no sentiment in his death.
A roar went up from the crowd of miners at the reading of this note from Dave Dockery, who even then might be dying, and Landlord Larry cried: "Spread the alarm, and let us go quickly to the spot, and try and save poor Dave, yes, and capture that masked road-agent, for he has got money in plenty. "Oh! if Doctor Dick was only here to look after poor Dave, he might save him.
A breathless silence followed these words, and then a voice broke it with: "Doc, who is the dead man?" "Dave Dockery." A low murmur of regret and sorrow passed over the crowd, and the doctor added: "He died soon after reaching the cabin." "And t'other, Doc?"
Dave Dockery was as shrewd as he was brave, and bore many scars of wounds received in the discharge of his duty, his nerve and endurance, it was said, saving his life where other men would surely have been killed.
That the masked horseman was alone he could not believe, and yet he had, against all traditions of the border, begun by firing upon Dave Dockery, and not ordering him to halt first. That he had fired to kill the bullet-wound in the breast, and the motionless form of the driver as he lay back upon the top of the coach, were in evidence.
In the afternoon Barbara went out and nailed up the woodbines. Then she put on her hat, and took a great bundle that had been waiting for a week for somebody to carry, and said she would go round to South Hollow with it, to Mrs. Dockery. "You will be tired to death. You are tired already, hammering at those vines," said mother, anxiously. Mothers cannot help daughters much in these buzzes.
With an exclamation of pleasure Landlord Larry put spurs to his horse and dashed forward to meet the doctor, who warmly grasped his hand as the two met and called out: "What is it, Landlord Larry?" "Read this paper from Dave Dockery, who even now may be dead. We are going to his aid." "And I will go with you." "But your horse is worn out, Doc, and you look tired after your long trail."
They set out soon after the midday rest and arrived in Last Chance just as all was in readiness for the burial of Dave Dockery and Brassy, for a double funeral was to be had. The landlord dismissed his men and went at once to the quarters of Doctor Dick, who greeted him warmly and asked: "Any success?" "Not a bit." "Too bad."
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