The new era., 1909-06-24

MdIlSr Ol luck tnaL Drought ABOUT
my success in that instance. l am a
firm believer in luck, for 1t plays an
Important part in every mans life. and
1t has figured to large extent in my
own affairs, l am free to confess.
"A daring express robbery had been
0ommitted in the western part of the
state, near the Utah line, by three
men. The messenger had been muir
dered and the passengers throughout
the train robbed of all their money.
The hold-up men secured something
more than $4,000 from the express
companys safe and fully $4,000 from
the passengers. They took nothing
but money, however. leaving valuable
3ewelry, diamonds and watches with
their owners, and ignoring the parcels
In the express car. This circumstance
showed that the gang was composed
Of experienced thieves, for money is
the hardest thing in the world to
trace.
II was notified Of the robbery on the
afternoon of the second day after it oc-
cured, and although fastened to the
spot with all dispatch and made my
arrangement by wire, it was room of
the third day before I alighted at the
nearest station. Here 1 had arranged
for two horses and prospector's out
At, deeming it best to follow the ban
dts in the disguise of miner, as the
robbery had been made at point
near the mining region of southwest
ern Colorado, and l expected to find
the criminals at some of the numer
GUS mining camps.
II have never been believer in
disguises except as to clothing All
efforts to change the face with grease
paints and wigs and the like only tend
to attract attention and direct suspi-
sion to the man thus logged out. The
casual observer might not notice the
deception, but the criminal, and espe-
cially the hunted criminal, is no cas-
ual observer. He has formed the
bit of noticing everything, and he
Will detect the least false point in a
mans appearance and shun him as If
he were afflicted with the plague.
IA change of dress will work Won
ders in mans appearance. If
man can wear other clothes than those
he is accustomed to, and wear them
easily and naturally, he can more ef
fectually disguise himself by this
means than he can with all the wigs
and paints and whiskers in exist
ence.
Coming across the continental di-
vide, l had suffered a slight attack Of
Indigestion. 1 sent the porter after a
flask of whisky asking for certain
brand. He returned in few minutes
with one of the diminutive little bot
ties customarily sold on sleeping cars
at quarter a bottle. 1t was not the
kind had ordered, but the porter ex-'
planned that this was the only brand
of liquor the company sold, and l had
to be content with it. The label of
the bottle stated that 1t was put up
expressly for the company.
''On reaching my destination, 1 i'm
mediately assumed the character of a
miner and set about my inquiry. There
was little information to be gathered
beyond what was contained in the
express company's report of the rob-
berry, of which l had carbon-copy.
Satisfied that time spent here would
be wasted, l set out for the scene of
the robbery, riding wiry little pony
ASd leading another on which was
picked my outfit of grub and cooking
irNlements and miners tools.
1.-THE place was desolate spot. The
road ran through broad alkali val
ley which had not at that time, been
brought under cultivation by irriga-
ton. 1t was easy to pick up the trail
of bandits and follow it across the val
ley in southwesterly direction to the
foothills of the Rockies, where the
trail disappeared, the rocky ground
leaving no trace OF footprints.
From this point on 1t was to be a
matter of luck and guesswork. be-
lieved my men had made for Telluride,
Ouray, Silverton or some other mining
camp, but 1 was not rash enough to
venture a guess as to which it might
be at that stage of the game. These
camps, with their rough, shifting pop
ulation, offered capital retreats for
criminals, and from past experiences
I knew that my three rogues would,
in all probability, remain in one of
these camps until the excitement from
the robbery had subsidized, and then
make for civilization to spend their
money.
For three days drifted at random
through the mountains, following trails
and paths, for there were no roads,
endeavoring to pick up some clew or
find the place where my party had
spent the first night after the robbery.
The hold-up had occurred about noon,
and, by hard riding, the three high
waymen could penetrate some ten or
twenty miles into the fastness of the
mounatins before 1t became too dark
to travel further. It was out of the
question for any one to advance
through that region after dark. /
hoIO to find the place of their camp,