ed, and, stepping to the side of the building signalled his
companions to come up. Bucks saw them emerge from their hiding-places
and join the driver at the station door.

A second conference followed. It was briefer than the first, but
there seemed some difference of opinion among the three men, and
the talk terminated abruptly by the driver's clubbing his rifle and
deliberately smashing in the sash of the window before which he
was standing.

Whatever had held Bucks spellbound thus far released him suddenly for
action when he saw the rifle-stock raised and heard the crash of the
glass. He jumped up, and running to the edge of the ledge nearest the
station yelled at the marauder and shook his finger at him vigorously.
The attack on his habitation was too much for Bucks's composure, and,
although he knew his words could not be heard from where he stood, he
felt he could frighten the intruders.

This was his second mistake. No sooner had his visitors sighted him
than two guns were turned on him and instantly fired. He jumped back
before the fat man, who, slower than his companions, had some
difficulty in shooting so high above his head, could get his gun up.
Afterward, Bucks learned how providential this was, inasmuch as the
big fellow was the deadliest shot of the three.

But at the moment, danger was the last thing the operator thought of.
The unprovoked and murderous attack infuriated him, and again
forgetting his caution he drew his own revolver without hesitation,
and, running to a more protected spot, leaned over the ledge and fired
point-blank into the group, as they looked up to see what had become
of him.

If it had been his intention to hit any one of them with his bullets,
his shooting was a failure and some experience in after years among
men practised in gunnery convinced him that to aim at three men is not
the right way to hit one.

But if he had meant only to create a sensation his move was successful
beyond his greatest expectation. Had a bomb been exploded on the
platform the marauders could not have scattered more quickly. Bucks
never in his life had seen three men move so fast. The fat man,
indeed, had given Bucks the impression of being heavy and slow in his
movements. He now made a surprising exhibition of agility, and Bucks
to his astonishment, saw him distancing his leaner companions and
sprinting for the shelter at a pace that would have made a jack-rabbit
take notice.

Bucks, somewhat k