A very tall man with a lean figure, broad shoulders and a flopping sombrero hat was, in fact, waving a red flag in front of the Western express, which slowed up and presently, almost opposite the motor car, came to a full stop. The Comet also paused and waited to see what was the trouble.
The engine was too far in front to hear the conversation between the engineer, who now thrust his head out of the window, and the individual with the flag. But what happened next was exceedingly strange. The flagman, casting aside his signal, followed the engineer down the track to the first coach, which was the baggage car, and presently emerged on the platform leading to the next coach.
And now the engineer was not alone. Several baggage men and train officials had joined him, and they walked with their arms held up in the air. So absorbed was the motor party with the strange actions of the train people that they failed at the moment to notice what the lean individual was carrying in his hand. Neither could they tell what was taking place in the first passenger coach, but as the train officials were herded across the platform, still with arms uplifted, they suddenly became aware that the pockets in their coats, trousers and waistcoats were turned wrong side out, and that the man who was driving them in front of him like a herd of cattle held a pistol in his right hand, on the barrel of which the sun shone brilliantly.
“Billie, Billie, go on as fast as you can go, they are train robbers,” whispered Miss Campbell hoarsely, almost bereft of her voice from fright.
Billie jumped out of the machine, wishing with all her heart that somebody would invent a motor car that wouldn’t need to be cranked up.
“Beggin’ your pardon, Miss, will you kindly stay where you are?” said a soft, drawling voice behind them.
They turned quickly and faced another broad-shouldered individual with a sombrero half covering his lean, sunburned face. His gray eyes twinkled with amusement when he saw their consternation.
“We won’t do no harm to you, ladies, except to ask you for a lift after this little business is over. Jes’ keep perfectly quiet and ask no questions, and we’ll tell you no lies.”
Somehow, Billie did not feel frightened at this gentle, humorous person.
“Suppose we don’t care to give you a lift,” she said, her hand on the cranking lever.