The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1908-09-25
The CowardIyGuard

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road agents, aud confess | felt some
what nervous. was told by the Wells
Fargo people that the coach would be
guarded by one of their men. Dick
Steele, whom they considered worth
half dozen ordinary men. This sat
isfied me- for from the time | entered
the state l had heard OF the brave
deeds OF this same Dick Steele.
When we were about to start and
Steele was pointed out to me i was
surprised. He was little fellow about
Ave feet five inches. and / couldn't
see how he could terrlfy even a single
robber, and there were often several IN
the parties who robbed coaches How.
ever, he had an eye which. like his
name. was Steel and cold looking
steel at that and l put him down for
one of those men in whom nerve takes
the place OF muscle.
I made the trip out and back with
Steele and there was no occasion for
the wells-Fargo man TO show his met.
tie. When / left I,envcr for Cheyenne
TO take the Union Pacific railroad for
the east Steele was again the guard
This time when we were midway on.
our journey we heard the cry ahead
Hold up your handsw and the coach
came to stop. A man came aud stood
on one side of the coach. holding us all
covered with brace OF royolvcrs.
while two others GU the other side
opened the stage door. threw down the
steps and called TO us to alight steele
was in the middle seat and next person
TO the open door. We all expected him
to suddenly briste with weapons and
kin the two men before they knew
what hurt them. Instead OF that he
tumbled out with bis hands in the air
as nimbly as a young fawn
Seeing that we had 10 protection
from this vaunted hero. we all got out
and stood in line while the road agents
relIeyeN us Of everything about MS of
any value. Evidently they had never
seen Steele before. for they treated
him Just like the rest Of us. thought
perhaps he might stoop and pull pair
OF reyolvers from his boots. but, al.
though he had no especial watching,
he did not make the slightest move.
ment. When the robbers were through
with us they ordered us back into the
coach and told the driver to move on.
As soon as we were free from the
robbers there was great outburst
against Steele "You're pretty guardw
Where did you get your reputation
for bravery" "Thc biggest coward in
the coachr These were some Of the
protests that were hurled against the
man OF much reputation. His conduct
In bearing them convinced every one
that he was not only not brave. but
unusually cowardly. He did not resent
single one OF these Insulting re-
proaches. Indeed, he dld not seem 70
hear them keeping his eye ont the
window looking at the ground we
passed over and watching for some
thing
Presently the road made turn, and
the coach passed around it and behind
a clump Of trees Steele flung open the
coach door jumped out. unstrapped a
winchester from under the boot and
started baek. STOPPING among some
bushes so as not 20 be seen.
! am not brave man. but am
very curious one. Seized with desire
10 see the rest OF the story for my
self. ! alighted ANA went after the
guard We had gone about half
mile from the spot whore we had been
robbed. and a third of this distance
was n depression IN the ground. TAX
ing position in this depression. could
zee all wanted TO see. I saw Steele
dodging along short distance ahead
Of me. and about the same distance
beyond him were the robbers dividing
the swng they had taken from us.
Then from out Il clump Of sagebrush
saw a pun Of smoke, heard the crack
Of Steeie's Winchester, aud robbcr
fell Before | could have counted i've
ihere were another pun nnd crack. and
another robber fell The third nan
had only time to look wildly about
him when he. too. went down.
Then Steele advanced cautiously. As
he approached one OF the robbers rails.
ed himself on his elbow aud was about
to Gre at Steele when the guard drop
ped him, this time FOR good Steele
went 10 the place where the bodies
lay, gathered up their spoil. turned
and came slowly back When be came
up 10 me ! remarked TO him that he
had been very lucky TO find the rob
bers engaged. and be replied that they
usually divided tie plunder az once. so
that each man could shift Tor himself
without losing his share.
I went back with the little man 20
the coach, which was standing where
we had left H. and Steele asked each
person 70 pick out his belongings.