Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-18
CHAPTER ~.

Miss Cullen remarked Lord Rallies, after
a pause.
But she declined to do 30, saying she
wanted to know what was going to tele-
graph; and he left us. for which wasn't
sorry I told her Of the good news had
to send, and she wanted to know II now
we would try to catch the road agents. /
set her mind at rest on that score.
II think they'll give US very little trouble
to bag,"tI added, "for they are so green
that it's almost pitiful"
I'm not cutting the wires?" she asked.
I'm everything" I replied. But the
worst botch is their waiting Till we had
just passed the Arizona line. If they had
held us up an hour earlier it would only
have been states prison."
"And what will 1t be now?"
Hanging"
"What?' cried Miss Cullen.
I'm New Mexico train robbinR Is not
capital. but in Arizona 1t is" told her.
And IL you catch them they'll be hung?'
she said.
yes"
THAT seems very hard"
The first signs Of dawn were beginning to
show by this time, and as the sky bright
ened told Miss Cullen that was going to
look for the trail Of the fugitives. She said
she would walk with me. If not in the way,
and my assurance was very positive on
l.
that it's saying good deal If girl can be
up all night In such excitement and still
look fresh and pretty, and that she did.
1 ordered the crew to look about and
then began big circle around the train.
Finding nothing, I swung a bigger one.
That being equally unavailing, I did a
larger third Not a trace of foot or hoof
within half mile of the cars! I had heard
OF blankets laid down to conceal trail Of
swathed feet, even of leathern horse boots
with cattle hoofs on the bottom, but none
OF these could have been used for such q
distance. let alone the entire absence Of
any signs of place where the horses had
been hobbled Returning to the train. the
report OF the men was the same
We've ghost road agents to deal with
Miss Cullen I laughed. 'They come from
nowhere, bullets touch them not. their lead
hurts nobody, they take nothing, and they
disappear without touching the ground"
How curious it Isl she exclaimed zone
would almost suppose 1t a dream"
Hold on" I said. I'VE do have some
thing tangible, for IL they disappeared thew
left their shells behind them" And I point
ed to some cartridge shells that lay on the
ground beside the mail car. my theory of
aerial bullets won't do"
THE shells are as hollow az I feel u,
laughed Miss Cullen
Your suggestion reminds me that-I am
desperately hungry 1 said. Suppose we
go back and end the famine"
MOST OF the passengers had long since re-
>.
Cullens party had apparently done the
same, for 21S showed signs of life One
or my darkies was awake and he broiled a
steak and made us some coffee in no time
ana just as they were ready Albert Cullen
appeared, so we made a very iolIv lottle
breakfast. He told me at length the mart
he and the Britishers had borne and only
made me marvel the more that any one OF
them was alive, for apparently they had
jumped off the car without the sIigbtest
precaution, and had stood grouped to-
gether, even after they had called atten-
tion to themselves by Lord Rallies shots
cullen had to confess that he heard the
whistle of the four bullets unpleasantly
close.
You have a right to be proud, Mr..
cullen: said You fellows did a ire
you, we didn't lose anything"
But you went to help too, Mr.. Gordon >,
added Miss Cullen.
That made me color up, and, after a
moments hesitation, I said:
I'm not going to sail under false colors
MISS Cullen. When I went forward 7
didn't think I could do anything / SUM-
posed whoever had pitched into the robbers
was dead, and I expected to be the same
inside OF ten minutes"
Then why did you risk your life" she
asked, IF you thought it was useless %
laughed. and, though ashamed to tell
IT, replied, L didn't want you to think that
the Britishers had more pluck than / had )"
She took my confession better than I
hoped she would, laughing with me. and
then said, well, that was courageous, af-
YES I confessed, IT was frightened into
bravery"
Perhaps If they had known the danger
as well as you. they would have been less
have blessed her for the speech.
While we were still eating, the mail clerk
came to my car and reported that the most
careful search had failed to discover the
flraa 1af%
IDENTIFY been taken. This made me feel
sober, slight as the probable loss was He
told me that his list showed they were all
addressed to Ash Forks. Arizona. making it
any real value. II possible, was more
puzzled than ever.
At six-ten the runner whistled to show he
had steam up. told one of the brakemen
to stay behind, and then went into 218. Mr.
Cullen was still dressing. but / expressed
my regrets through the door that could
not go with his party to the Grand Canon,
told him that all the stage arrangements
had been completed, and promised to Join
him there in case my luck was good. Then
/ saw Frederic for q moment, to see how
he was (for had nearly forgotten him in
the excitement. to find that he was gain
ing all the time. and preparing even to get
up When I returned to the saloon, the
rest Of the party were there, and / babe
goodbye to the captain and Albert. Then
I turned to Lord Rallies, and, holding out
Lord Rallies, joked a little the other
morning about the way you thought road
agents ought to be treated. You have
turned the joke very neatly and pluckily.
and I want to apologize for myself and
thank you for the railroad"
Neither is necessary" he retorted airily
pretending not to see my hand.
I never claimed to have a good temper,
and it was all could do to hold myself in.
1 turned 20 Miss Cullen to wish her pleas
ant trip, and the thought that this might be
our last meeting made me forget even Lord
Rallies.
II hope it isn't goodbye. but only au
revoir," she said Whether or no. you
must let us see you some time in Chicago
so that may show you how grateful am
for all the pleasure you have added to our
trip" Then. as I stepped down of my
platform. she leaned over the rail of 21S,
and added, in a low voice, II thought you
were Just as brave as the rest, Mr.. Gordon,
and now I think you are Drawer"
turned impulsively, and said. you
would think So Miss Cullen, il you knew
the sacrifice 1 am making" Then. without
looking at her, / gave the signal the bell
rang, and No. 3 pulled off. The last thing
I saw was a handkerchief waving on the