a half dozen well armed Republicans who were at the
station to help prevent any attempt at escape. Mead greeted these with
smiling good nature, as if there were no thought of quarrel between
them, and cast his eyes about for sight of his own friends. Not one
could he see. He did not know what plan for his assistance Ellhorn and
Tuttle might have schemed, he did not even know that Tuttle had gone
away, but he felt sure they would not allow him to be taken away from
Las Plumas any more than they would allow him to remain in jail longer
than the earliest possible moment at which they could get him out. So
he went along quietly and good-naturedly with his keepers, his eyes
watchful and his mind alert, alike for any relaxation of their
vigilance which would give him a chance of escape, and for the first
sign from his friends.

Nick Ellhorn did not appear on the station platform at all. He rushed
up from the opposite side just as the train was starting and jumped on
the steps of the smoking car. Inside he saw a man whom he knew, and,
sitting down beside him, they smoked and chatted and laughed together
until the train reached the edge of the Bosque Grande, when Nick
walked leisurely into the baggage compartment which formed the front
half of the smoking car. He nodded a friendly good morning to the
baggage man, handed him a cigar, lighted a fresh one himself, and with
one eye out at the open door stood and bandied a joke or two with the
train man. Presently he caught sight of a bunch of horses behind a
willow thicket a little way ahead and saw a big, burly figure near the
track.

Then he leaped to the top of the tender, and in another moment was
sitting with his long legs dangling from the front end of the coal
box. "Whoo-oo-oo-ee!" sounded in the ears of the engineer and fireman,
above the rattle of the train and the roar of the engine. They looked
around, astonished and startled by the sudden yell, and saw themselves
covered by two cocked revolvers.

"Stop your old engine before she gets to that trestle yonder or I'll
blow both of you through your headlight!" yelled Nick.

The engineer knew Ellhorn and he yelled back, "What for, Nick?"

"Never mind what for! Stop her quick or--one, two--"

The engineer waited no longer, but let his lever forward with a sudden
jerk. The wheels ground and scraped and the train trembled and stood
still with the rear coach only a few feet in front of Tuttle's post.

Inside the car, Hal