Evening star., 1921-12-18

strength for the only thing that an
outraged, naturally primitive man
could know-revenge for a trust that
had been misplaced, for trickery, for
connivance and for betrayal Delhi
erately. almost calmly. he had taken
the law into his own hands.
When the train stopped at Creston
he clambered down and crept back to
the caboose, deserted now as the con-
ductor at the station platform for
ward superintended the unloading of
local freight. He entered the car
boldly. Paper. envelopes. pencil and
stamps were on the little makeshift
desk. There. with thoughtful prelude,
he began the writing Of a letter to a
person who to him represented the
world-the editor of the Rawlins
Bugle.
deer sir, / am writing you this
so you can tell the people that am
mott as bad as 1 am painted. es-
capped from the Pen becaus found
out had been done wrong and
don't intend to stand for it. / am
accused of robbing trains. Well
after have robbed few trains
you will see that my methods are
different from the fellow that
went up to the Pen for. / am out
now and am going to find him
and il the officials wont punish him
will. tell the r. r. people to put
on as many guards as they want to,
don't care. I'll get past them and
after have got the money to hunt
down this other man and bring him
to Justis then will stop robbing
trains. Yours very truely.
BART CARSON.
p. s. wont hurt amy Wimen or
Childrun.
Ahead Gin answer to the 'highball")
the sharp whistle Of the engine
sounded. Quickly Carson addressed
the envelope, stamped it, then dropped
from the caboose as the conductor
swung on. at the opposite side. Quietly
he made his way to the little station
mail box and deposited the letter, to
be carried on to Rawlins by the two
forty-one express. And the next
CRASH sounded in the vestibule
~ of the cross-country limited as
it pulled slowly out of Medicine Bow.
Glass splintered. door swung open.
Guards, on duty since the train had
left Cheyenne, 1eaped from their
seats. 1t was to no purpose, for they
were already covered by tall, un-
masked figure in prison gray that
stood in the doorway Of the Pullman.
LAY down them six-guns" he or
! dered. "I amt here to hurt nobody
just want money. I'm Bart Carson!'
The name was enough. Staring
headlines had carried the news OF
train robbers escape all over the
Rocky mountain region. The tele-
graph had clicked his letter broad
cast almost the moment 1t reached
Rawlins. Gasping passengers rose
from their seats, hands above their
heads. Women screamed. The man
who once had been a cowpuncher
bowed toward them with the old gal
lantry of the plains.
81 don't hurt women and kids" hi
assured them, and smiled as he said
it. "And I don't take nothing from
'em. But as for you mem" Hit
face went suddenly grim. and ths
large revolver spat suddenly toware
! tbe roof of the car. "I'm out to sor,
; O. corral little Christmas present
| for myself. Dig"
White-faced, the male passenger
| of the coach lined up before him pre-
:: sented a study in contrasts. Some
strove to smile: some were frankly
panicky; others cried-as the hysteri'
cal women crouched in the seats were
| crying. One alone was calm-th'
man who held the revolver. who's,
eyes had lost their set, staring ex'
! preston to give way to the old boy