The Owosso times., 1897-06-25
THE GREAT X. AND A.
TRAIN ROBBERY.
By PAUL LEICESTER FORD.
Copyright, 1896. by ]. B. Lippincott Company. !
CHAPTER XI.
THE LETTERS CHANGE HANDS AGAIN.

! Wlat seemed aU the IuOIueQC an IN
comprehensive puzzle had, as we after
ward learned, q very simple explanation.
One of the G.. S. directors, Mr.. Bald
win, who had come in ON Mr.. Camps
car, was the owner of great cattle
ranch near Rock Butte. When the train
had been held at that station for few
minutes, Camp went to the conductor,
demanded the cause for the delay and
was shown my telegram. Seeing through
the device, the party had at once gone
| to this ranch, where the owner, Bald
| win, mounted them, and it was their
| dust cloud we had seen as they rode up
to Ash Forks. To make matters more
serious, Baldwin had rounded up his
cowboys and brought them along with
him in order to make any resistance i'm
possible.
made no objection to the sheriff
serving the paper, though it nearly
broke my heart to see Madge's face. To
cheer her said suggestively: "They've
got me, but they haven't got the letters,
Miss Cullen. And, remember, it's al
ways darkest before the dawn, and the
stars in their courses are against Caesar. I"
With the sheriff and Mr.. Camp then
walked over to the saloon, where Judge
Wilson was waiting to dispose of my
case. Mr.. Cullen and Albert tried to
come, too, but all outsiders were ex-
cluded by order of the court" I was
told to show cause why I should not
forthwith produce the letters, and an.
swered that asked an adjournment of
the case so that might be heard by
counsel. 1t was denied, as was to have
been expected. Indeed, why they took
the trouble to go through the forms was
beyond me. l told Wilson should not
produce the letters, and he asked if I
knew what that meant couldn't help
laughing and retorting:
"It very appropriately means CON
tempt of the court, your HONOR
"I'll give you stiff term, young
man." he said.
1T will take just one day to have
habeas corpus proceedings in United
States court and one more to get the
papers here" I rejoined pleasantly.
Seeing that I understood the moves
too we'll to be bluffed, the judge, Mr..
Camp and the lawyer held Whispered
consultation. My surprise can be imag-
ined when, at its conclusion, Mr. Camp
said:
Your honor, charge Richard Cor
don with being concerned in the holding
up Of the Missouri Western overland,
No 8, on the night of Oct. II and ask
thai he be taken into custody ON that
CHARGE -
Couldn't make out this new move
and puzzled over 1t, while Judge Wilson
ordered my commitment. But the next
step revealed the object, for the lawyer
then asked for search warrant to look
for stolen property. The judge was
equally obliging and began to fill one
out on the instant.
This made me feel pretty serious, for
the letters were in my breast pocket,
and swore at my own stupidity i'll not
having put them in the station safe
when I had first arrived at Ash Forks.
There weren't many moments in which
tn think ,vl,;la the iudoe enrith1ad away
at the warrant, but III what time tnere
was did a lot of head work, without,
however, finding more than one way out
Of the snarl, and when saw the judge
finish off his signature with a flourish
played pretty desperate card.
YOU'RE just too late, gentlemen"
said, pointing out the side window of
the saloon "There comes the cavalry"
The three conspirators jumped to their
feet and bolted for the window. Even
the sheriff turned to look. AS he did SO
I gave him q shove toward the three,
which sent them all sprawling on the
floor in pretty badly mixed up condi-
tion. I made dash for the door, and
es went through it I grabbed the key
and locked them in. AS turned to do
so I saw the lot struggling up from the
floor, and, knowing that it wouldn't
take them many seconds to find their
way out through the window, I didn't
waste much time in watching them.
Camp, Baldwin and the judge had
left their horses just outside the saloon,
and there they were still patiently stand
ing, with their brides thrown over their
heads, as only western horses will stand
It didn't take me long to have those
brides back in place, and as tossed
each over the peak Of the Mexican sad
die gave two of the ponies slaps which
started them off at o lope across the
railroad tracks. swung myself into
the saddle of the third and flicked him
with the loose ends Of the bride in a
way which made him understand that I
meant business.
Baldwin's cowboys had most of them
scattered to the various saloons of the
place, but two Of them were standing in
the doorway of store. acted so quick
ly, however, that they didn't seem to
take in what was about till was well
mounted. Then I heard yell, and,
fearing that they might shoot-for the
cowboy does love to use his gum turn
ed sharp at the saloon corner and rode
up the side street, just in time to see
Camp climbing through the window,
with Baldwin's head in view behind
him.
Before had ridden 100 feet realiz-