Bucky O'Connor: A Tale of the Unfenced Border

nds

a spur to obedience. The unanimous show of hands voted "Aye" wit

one of the victims seemed to hold a monopoly. Collins, his arm around the English children by way of comfort, offered a sardonic smile

more surely. The Chicago drummer, fat and florid, had disappe

is face found a reflection all over the car. Miss Wainwright's hand clutched at her breast for an instant, and her color

ut game," was hi

ine up against the walls; everybody waltz." c

nto line as directed,

ce, son; it's your say-s

ou full of holes," growled t

real thing in Jesse Jame

engaged his attention, the gleaming eyes behind the red bandanna never wandered for a moment from the big plainsman. He was taking no risks, for he remembered the saying current in Arizona, that

ous attempt at authority. "You can't rob the passengers on this

ear and shattered a windo

man behind the red bandanna. "Git back to that seat re

drifted as p

in marked by pounding hearts. The outlaw stood at

Collins, by way of conversation, and quoted

owing open the safe in the express-car with dynamite, pendi

of the passage and held a hurried conversation with h

e express-car. Not a red ce

irritation in the newcom

less outlaw of the Southwest. It was written in his jaunty insolence, in the flashing eyes. He was a handsome fellow, white-toothed, black-haired, lithely tigerish, with masterful mouth and eyes of steel, so far as one might judge behind the white mask he wore. Alert, cru

er struck. I'll send Scott in to go through them. If anyb

lannel shirt, spurs, and chaps of a cow-puncher. It took no second glanc

a bunch of train-robbers. So burn the wind, and go through the car on the jump. Help yourself to anything you find. Who steals my purse takes trash. 'Tis something, nothing. 'Twas mine; 'tis his. That's right, you'll find my roll in tha

hat had been washed white and of snatching from the outlaws some portion of their sense of domin

e's scared stiff now, and you won't bother her, if you're white men. Her watch

them cool and imperious and unwavering, but her face was bloodless an

ing savagely on the impassive officer "Did I say we were go

bull's-eye. "I wouldn't trust you boys to rob a hen-roost, the amateur way you go at it. When you get through, you'll all go to drinking like blue b

e?" gruffly demande

Bucky O'Connor will-those of you that are left alive when you go through s

ff." The first out law drove h

-pilot and chew the cud of silence. I merely wanted to frame up to you how this th

as he passed down with his sack, accumulating tribute as he pas

Go way down into your jeans. It's a right smart pleasure to divert the plunder of your bloate

diamond ring, and a gold watch. His hands were trembling so

?" inquired one of the robbers, as he

ve-a wife-and five children," he

whyfor do they let a sick man

lease turn that w

dice. Here, Fatty. Load up with quinine and whisky. It's sure good for chills." The man behind the bandanna gravely handed his victim back a dollar. "Write me if

n penny, and a silver-plated watch inherited from his fathers.

suit-case of Major Mackenzie, and under orders he carried out the baggage belonging to the irrigation engineer. Collin observed that the bandit in the black mask was so n

t three shots in rapid succession

till keeping the passengers covered. They flung rapidly two or three bullets through the roof, and under cover of the smoke slipped o

own hands deep into his pockets and laughed-laughed wit

ed the mining engin

ould have had this diverting experience so prompt after he was wishing for it." He turned, with concer

quite satisfied, if you are. I think the affair cos

. "But I don't grudge it-not a cent of it.

m. "Seems to me you shot off your mouth more t

n that he had talked to make the outlaws talk, and that he had noted the quality of their voices so carefully that he would know them again among a

ngues, set free from fear, buzzed eagerly. The glow of the afterclap of danger was on them, and in the warm excitement each forgot th

ductor swung from a car before the wheels had ceased

me, Pat. The Limited has b

gasped th

Sabin. I'm not going to wait for an answer. Tell

zie had entered the office at his heels. They too had messages to send, but it was not until the train was already plunging in

read at the top of each. His comment serves to show the opinion ge

ure a case for the leftenant. It's send for Bucky

ng the conductor's message to the division superintendent. His finge

iend. No use be

s gazing into the end of a revolver held carelessly in th

u come from?" the

t smart spell. Why? You takin' the

hear youse

mocked. But even as he spoke his manner changed, and crisp

hat me

ur desk. I say, ha

t y

hem ove

them across the co

ch for t

s. The bandit glanced over the w

didn't know he was on the train. Lucky for him I didn't, or mebbe I'd a-put his light for good and all. Friend, I reckon we'll sup

he reaches Apache," the operat

t gives us an extra hour and a half, and with us right now time is a heap more valuable than money. You may tell Bucky O'Co

ve held the latter of singularly little value. For he sat him down on the counter with his back against the wall and his legs stre

lightness about the outlaw's movements, a trim grace of figure which yet suggested rippling muscles perfectly under control, and a quiet wariness of

it away with a yawn. "I'll let a thousand dollars of the express compan

ht," agreed

f the information. We're headed south, tell him. And tell Mr. Sheriff Collins, too-happy to entertain him if he happe

, but one how different from the first! Here was no confidence almost insolent in its nonchalance. The figure was slight and boyish, the manner deprecating, the br

ready

ut?" demanded hi

s,

oth s

oth s

sk, broke it, emptied out the shells, and flung them thro

now," he explained, and with that he ha

ne, he sat down before his keys with the weapon close at hand and frantically called for Tucson over and over again. No answer came to him, nor from the other direction when he tried that. The young bandit had told the truth. His companions had cut the w