The Ordway new era. (Ordway, Colo.) 1902-1927, 1912-12-20

satN absent'mindedly pattlng Marjorie
on the back and repeating:
"Ibon't worry. honey: they're not
gointy to hurt anybody. They don't
want anything but our money. Don't
worryA I won't let 'em hurt you"
But pc could not shake on a sens
OF nausea. He felt himself repre-
sentative OF the military prowess OF
the country. and here he was as help
less an d man ON parole.
The f'hct that Mallory was q sol.
der occurred to q number OF the pas
sengers simuias neousiy. They had
been trained BY esarly studies In those
beautiful works OF fiction. the school
histories OF the United States. and by
many Fourths Of July. to believe that
the American soldiet IL an invincible
being. who has newer been defeated
and never known fear.
They surged up to Mallory In .
wave OF hope. DR.. Temple. being near.
est. spoke first. Having. learned by
experience that his own prayers were
not always answered ~ he wished.
had an impulse to try some weapon
he had never used.
Young man." he pleaded across the
back Of a !, seat. will you kindly lend
Mallory answered suilelaly: Mine Is
In my trunk on the traiJa ahead. damn
1t. II had 1t Id have q lot OF fun"
Mrs. Whitcomb had an Inspiration.
She ran to her berth. and came back
with tiny silver.plated revolver.
I'll. lend you this. Sammy gave It
to me to protect /myseirsin Nevada"
Mallory smiled at the .22-caiiber
toy. broke 1t Open. and displayed an
empty cyiinder.
Where are the pills that 60 with
IT." he said.
"Oh. Sammy wouldn't let me have
any bullets. He was afraid Id hurt
myself"
Mallory returned It. with bow. ut
would make IN excellent nut.cracker.'
Aren't you going to use IT," Mrs.
, 'Whitcomb gasped.
Its empty" Mallory explained.
But the robbers don't know that!
Couldn't you Just overawe them with
it,"
Not with that" said Mallory. "un-
less they died laughing"
Mrs. Wellington pushed forward:
Then what the devil are you going to
do when they Gomez"
Mallory answered meekly: III they
request 1t. l shall hold up my hands"
And you won't resist?" Kathleen
gasped.
Not a resist
And he calls himself a soldier!"
she sneered.
Mallory writhcd. but all he said
was: "A soldier doesn't have to be a
jackass. know Just enough about
guns not to monkey with the wrong
end of EN-"
Coward" she flung at him. He
turned white. but Marjorie red. and
made leap at her. crying: Hes the
bravest nun in the world. You say .
word, and Ill scratch your eyes out
This reheartened Mallory a little.
and he laughed nervousIy. as he re-
strained her. Kathleen retreated out
OF danger. with parting shot: Our
engagement is on"
Thanks" Mallory said. and put out
his hand: "Will you return the brace
let?"
II never return such things" said
Kathleen.
The scene was so painful and such
an anachronism that DR.. Temple tried
to renew a more pressing subject:
Its your opinion then that we'd best
| surrender"
"Of course-since We can't run"
Wedgewood broke in impatiently:
We'll, l consider 1t a dastardly out.
rage. I'll not submit to It. I'm q
subject OF His Majesty the"
You're subject OF His Majesty
lory.
II shall protest. none the less"
Wedgewood insisted.
Mallory grinned little. Have you
any last message to send home to
your mother?"
Wedgewood was a trifle chilled at
this. "D-don't talk OF such things" he
said.
And by this time the train-robbers
had hastily worked their way through
the other passengers, and reached the
frantic inhabitants OF the sleeper.
"Snowdrop."
Hands up! Higher!! Hands up!"
With a true sense OF the dramatic.
the robbers sent ahead of them the
most hair-raising yells. They arrived
simultaneously at each end OF the
aisle, and with a few short sharp COM
mands, Strengthened the disorderiy
rabble into beautiful line. with all
palms aloft and all eyes wide and
wild.
One robber drove ahead OF him the
conductor and the other drove in MIR.
Manning, whom he had found trying
to crawl between the shelves OF the
linen.closet.