St. Nivel shut the box up with what I thought was impatience, and threw it in the rack.
The thieves' cashier made his appearance with a bag full of dollars; then they all made a move for the door, taking me with them.
As we reached the platform of the smoking-car, and I was perforce about to jump down on to the permanent way, I saw the face of my servant Brooks looking up at me from the line.
"Let me give you a hand, sir," he said, with an expressive look in his eyes; "the ground's a bit rough here."
As he assisted me down in the darkness I felt him slip something under the loose cowboy's frock I wore and nudge me to take it; as I put my hand down, to my joy I felt it was my Colt's revolver!
I hastily thrust it into the belt under my smock-frock, where it was quite hidden.
Then the horses were brought round and we prepared to mount; but before we departed there was still a little ceremony to be gone through.
There were some left with drawn revolvers at the end of each carriage, almost to the last moment, but as the bulk of the band left the train they brought with them a half-breed dressed in the ordinary frock-coat and tall hat of civilisation, in a state of abject terror.
"Who is this man?" I asked the lieutenant, who happened to be near me.
He laughed as he twisted up a cigarette and answered me.