Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-05-19
A Trip to the Grand Canon.
CHAPTER v.

I stood bordering, for no explanation that
| would fit the facts seemed possible.
should have considered the young fellows
story only an attempt to gain a little repu-
tation for pluck, If in any way could have
accounted for the appearance and disap-
pearance of the robbers Yet to suppose
which seemed the only other horn to the
dilemma-that the son and guests OF the
vice president of the Missouri Western, and
one of our own directors. would be con-
cerned in train robbery, was to believe some
thing equally improbable. Indeed, should
have put the whole thing down as pracu-
cal joke OF Mr.. Cullen's party. II 1T had not
been for the loss of the registered letters.
Even practical joker would hardly care
to go to the length of cutting open govern
ment mail pouches; for Uncle Sam doesn'
approve of such conduct.
t. Whatever the explanation, l had enough
facts to prevent me from wasting more time
on that 'aikah plain Getting the men and
horses back onto the cars. / jumped up on
the taflboard and ordered the runner to pull
out for Flagstaff. 1t was run Of seven
hours, getting us in little after g. and in
those hours I had done lot of thinking
which had all come to one result-that Mr.
Cullen's party was concerned in the hold
up:
but the Cullens had left for the Grand
Canon the moment they had arrived, and
were about reaching there by this time.
went to 218 and questioned the cook and
waiter, but they had either seen nothing or
else had been prfmed, for not fact did
get from them. Going to my own car,
ordered a quick supper and while L was
eating 1t questioned my boy. He told me
that he had heard the shots, and had bolt
ed the front door of my car, as had or
dered when / went out; that as he turned
to go to a safer place he had seen a man,
revolver in hand, climb over the off-side
gate Of Mr.. Cullen's car. and for moment
he had supposed 1t road agent, till he saw
that it was Albert Cullen.
That was just after had got OFF, 1
asked.
"Yis, sahn
Then it couldn't have been Mr. Cullen,
jim" l declared, .for I found him up at
the other end of the car
Tell you 1t wuz, Mr.. Gordon" Jim in
sisted done seen his face clar in de
light, and he done go into Mr. Cullens car
whar de old gentleman wuz sittin'."
That set me whistling to myself, and
laughed to think how near / had come to
giving nitroglycerin to a fellow who was
only shamming heart-faflure: for that IT
was Frederic. Cullen who had climbed on
the car 1 hadn't the slightest doubt. the
resemblance between the two brothers be-
ing quite strong enough to deceive any one
VINO had never seen them together smil-
ca little, and remarked to myself Il
think 1 can make good my boast that
would catch the robbers; but whether the
Culiens will like my doing it. l question
w nat is more, Lord Rallies will owe me
pottie. Then l thought of Madge and
didn't feel as pleased over my success as
had felt moment before
BY O'Clock the posse and were in the
sauule ana sklrting the San Francisco
peaks. mere was no use of pressing the
ponies. for our game wasn't irving to &c
cape, ana, for that matter couldn't as the
colorado river wasn't passable within ffty
a .raie 81 II was lovely moonlight night.
YyrI, 4.
a one as remember ever TO have n,aaa =.
SCI me thinking of Madge and of orr "a IL
the evening before, and of what a scbanga
i twsin.y1foni hours had brought 1t was
should probably have landed in 81 :
cont know that Ishould have cared - !
tIcuiariy II a prairie dog burrow had ma do
me oasn my brains out, for wasn't happv
over the job that lay before me pp'
We watered at Silver Spring AT oD.rtor
pass WE'VE From that point we were
clear or the pines and out on the nlain CO
we we eould go better pace. This brought
US 10 the halfway ranch by two whera
we gave the ponies a feed and an hour. q
rest We reached the last reIav station
JUST as the moon set, about three-fortv.
ana, as all the rest of the ride was through
coconino forest, we held up there for day
light, getting little sleep meanwhile
We rode into the camp at the Grand
canon little after eight and the deserted
iook OF the tents gave me a moments
rad
gone. Tolfree explained. however that
some had ridden out to Moran Point. and
the rest had gone down Hance's trail So
preakfasted and then took look at AL
bert Cullens Winchester. That 1t had been
recently fired was as plain as the Grand
canon itself; throwing back the bar.
round an empty cartridge shell, still oily
rom the discharge. That completed the
taie OF seven shots. didn't feel absolute
ly safe till had asked Tolfree if there
had been any shooting of echoes by the
party, but his denial rounded cut my chain
o. evidence.
Telling the sheriff to guard the bags OF
the party carefully, took two of the posse
and rode over to Morans Point. Sure
enough, there were Mr.. Cullen, Albert and
Captain Ackland They gave a shout at
seeing me and even before 1 had reached
them they called to know how / could como
SO soon, and If had caught the robbers
Mr.. Cullen started to tell his pleasure at
my rejoining the party, but my expression
made him pause, and it seemed to dawn
ON all. three that the Winchester across my
sadie, and the cowboys hands resting
nonchalantly on the revolvers in their
belts, had a meaning.
Mr.. Cullen" l explained, I've got a
very unpleasant job on hand. which don't
want to make any worse than need be-
Every fact points to your party as guilty
of holding up the train last night and steal
ing those letters. Probably you weren't
all concerned, but I've got to go on the as
sumption that you are all guilty, till you
prove otherwise"
Jaw, you're Joking drawled Albert
II hope So" I said, but for the present
I've got to be English and treat the joke
Seriously
what do you want to do?" asked Mr.
Cullen.
81 don't wish to arrest you gentlemen
unless you force me to- I said for
don't see that 1t will do any good. Blu.
want you to return to camp with u.s..
They assented to that and single file, we
rode back When there told each that he
must be searched, to which they submitted
at once. After that we went through their
baggage / wasn't going to have the sheriff
or cowboys tumbling over Miss Cullen's
clothes, so / looked over her bag myself.
The prettiest and daintiness of the various
contents were a revelation to me. and l
tried to put them back as neatly as / had
found Them but l didn't know much about
the articles, and 1t was terrible joy try
ing to fold up some of the things. Why,
there was a big pink affair lined with silk.
with bits OF ribbon and lace all over 1t,
which nearly drove me out of my head, for
/ would have defied mortal man to pack 1t
SO that it shouldn't muss. l had funny
little feeling of tenderness for everything,
which made fussing over it all pleasure.
even while felt all the time that | was
.f--l-&