Willmar tribune., 1908-12-30
The Coward|y yGuard
[Original.]

[Original)
When l was in Colorado away back
In the sixties I one morning left Den
yer TO: the south. It was the day of
road agents. and 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
1sded ue, tor from the time entered
the state had heard Of the brave
deeds of this same Dick Steele.
When we were about to start and
Steele was pointed out to me l was
surprised. He was little fellow about
five feet five inches. and couldn't
see how he could terrify even single
robber. and there were often several in
the parties who robbed coaches. How
ever. he had an eye which, like bis
name, was steel, and a cold looking
steel at that, and l put him down for
one Of those men in whom nerve takes
the place OF muscle.
made the trip out and back with
Steele and there was no occasion for
the Weils-Fargo man to show his met
tie. When l left Denver 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 hands" and the coach
came to n stop. A man came and stood
on one side Of the coach. holding us all
covered with a brace Of revolvers
while tw" others on the other side
opened the stage door. threw down the
steps and called to ns to alight Steele
was in the middle seat and next person
to the open door We all expected him
to suddenly bristle with weapons and
XIII the two men before they knew
what hurt them Instead Of that he
tnmbled ont with his hands in the mir
rs nimhly as yOnng fawn.
Seeing that we had no protection
from this vaunted hero. we all got out
and stood in line while the road agents
relieved us Of everything about us Of
"ny 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 revolvers from his boots: but, al
! though he had no especial watching.
he did not make the slightest move
'nent When the robbers We're 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 q great Outburst
against Steele. "You're pretty glardv'
'Whare did you get yonr repEta ton
for bravery" "The biggest coward In
the coach!' These We're 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 did not seem to
hea: them. keeping his eye out 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 back. STOPPING among some
bushes so as not to be seen.
I am not a brave man. but am 8
very curious one. Seized with a desire
to see the rest OF the story for my
self. al!ghted and went after the
guard. We had gone about half q
mile from the spot where we had been
robbed, and third Of this distance
was depression In the ground. TAX.
ing position IN this depression, could
see al! wanted to see. saw Steele
dodging along short distance ahead
Of me. and about the same distance
beyond him were the robbers dividing
the swag they had taken from US
Then from out clump Of sagebrush
saw puff of smoke. heard the crack
0! Steele's Winchester. and robber
fcl! Before I could have counted five
there were another puff and crack. and
another robber fell. The third man
had only time to look wildly abou,
him when he, too. went down.
Then Steele advanced cautiously As
he approached one Of the robbers rails.
ed hinself on his elbow and was about
to fire at Steele when the guard drop.
ped him, this time for good. Steele
went to the place where the bodies
lay, gathered up their spoil, turned
and came slowly back. When he came
up to me I remarked to him that he
had been very lucky to find the rob.
bers engaged, and he replied that they
usually divided the plunder at once. SO
that each man could shift for himself
without losing his share
went back with the little man to
the coach. which was standing where
we had left It. and Steele asked each
person to pick out his belongings,
which he was not slow in doing.
Then followed an apology from every
one Who had rated the gllard for his