And so Jim was snatched from the clutches of the law. As he will not appear again in this story it will probably interest you to know what became of this highly romantic, daring individual. After turning over to the railroad by a secret agent—none other than Daniel Moore himself—a most remarkable letter, printed below (which you no doubt have seen, since it was published broadcast in every paper in the country) and returning every penny of the money taken that day from the passengers, Jim disappeared from the world as a public character. Taking his real name, Jim Dolan, he became a private citizen, and at this very moment Jim and Minnie Dolan are tenants of one of Miss Campbell’s beautiful farms in the vicinity of West Haven. They have two children and are useful members of society.
And all because a lady asked a common thief to eat supper with her and treated him as a guest.
Here is Jim’s letter to the railroad company, written in a large, sprawling handwriting:
“To Whom It May Concern—and chiefly the Union Pacific Railroad Company: The undersigned was once Jim Bowles, train robber. I am a reformed man from this day. I ain’t got religion exactly, but the world is a better place than I thought it was. I made a mistake. There are some mighty nice people in it, after all. I herewith return moneys took; henceforth from now on forever more, amen, I lead a new life, so help me God! There are two kinds of repentant sinners. The ones that pray all day for forgiveness and forgets to work, and them that works so hard they haven’t got no time to pray. I’m the last kind. I’m going to work. Amen!
“(signed) Jim Bowles—that was.”
CHAPTER XVII.—SALT LAKE CITY.
Imagine a lovely valley, green and fertile, encircled by a great chain of mountains. Glistening to the westward, like a gem on its bosom, is a beautiful lake, and from the very heart of the valley rises the city itself. It nestles at the foot of a vast granite temple, which towers above the homes of the citizens like a great, gray mountain.
“Perhaps the Land of Canaan looked like this to the Israelites,” exclaimed Mary Price, as the Comet paused on the steep road in order to give our pilgrims their first glimpse of the old Mormon city. For the last thirty-six hours they had been surfeited with magnificent scenery.
“Snow-capped mountains and cañons and waterfalls are getting to be just everyday affairs,” wrote Billie to her father, still in distant Russia.
It was a rest to their eyes and their minds, therefore, to look down on this peaceful and exquisite valley, Evelyn’s home.