ddle of the
car, looking wholly businesslike.

Major Davis, having gone back to make sure that his own belongings were
safe, now returned to the baggage car.

"Fellow," he asked of the tall prisoner, "what on earth made you stop
this train?"

"Hard up," replied the man sullenly. "And a friend told us that the last
time he held up a mail train, he and his pal found twelve thousand
dollars in the registered mail pouches."

"You'll find at least twelve years in the mail pouches this trip,"
retorted Major Davis grimly.

Half an hour later a stop was made at a little tank station, to enable
Major Davis to wire ahead to Salida for officers to be in readiness when
they arrived.

Then the train crawled on again through the inky darkness. Noll relieved
Hal, presently, though there seemed little need of alertness. The two
prisoners capable of fighting looked pretty well cowed. Down at the rear
end of the car, covered with a rubber blanket, lay the rigid remains of
the man killed by the major.

Something more than an hour late the train pulled in at Salida. There
was a crowd on hand, including four sheriff's officers. These latter
came to the baggage car just before the train stopped.

"Will you take full responsibility for the prisoners now?" asked Major
Davis of one officer who led the rest and who displayed his badge.

"Yes, sir," replied the deputy sheriff.

"Then I'll go and have something to eat," smiled the major dryly. "My
men, do you eat here, too?"

"Yes, sir," Hal answered, saluting.

It was not an invitation to join their officer. Both recruits fully
understood that. The gulf of discipline prevents officers and men
eating together.

On the platform before the station-building Major Davis halted long
enough to say:

"My men, I appreciate your help to-night. It would have been too much
for me alone. You men stood by me like soldiers. As a United States Army
officer I would have felt disgraced had I allowed a United States mail
car to be rifled without striking a blow to stop it."

"It was a daring thing to do, sir," Hal ventured, with another salute.

"It was my plainest sort of duty, as an officer," replied Major Davis,
returning the salute.

"May I ask, sir," ventured Hal, "whether it would have been our duty,
had we been armed, and you not on the train!"

"Not unless led by an officer," replied the major. "But where did you
young men learn to obey so promptly, and without questioning or
hesita