but it was merely due to the command of
Baldwin, who, with Camp, stood just outside the mob.

"Let me say a word before you pull," he called, and then to me he
said, "Now will you give up the property?"

I was pretty pale and shaky, but I come of stiffish stock, and I
wouldn't have backed down then, it seemed to me, if they had been
going to boil me alive. I suppose it sounds foolish, and if I had
had plenty of time I have no doubt my common-sense would have
made me crawl. Not having time, I was on the point of saying
"No," when the door of 218, which lay about two hundred yards
away, flew open, and out came Mr. Cullen, Fred, Albert, Lord
Ralles, and Captain Ackland, all with rifles. Of course it was
perfect desperation for the five to tackle the cowboys, but they
were game to do it, all the same.

How it would have ended I don't know, but as they sprang off the
car platform Miss Cullen came out on it, and stood there, one
hand holding on to the door-way, as if she needed support, and
the other covering her heart. It was too far for me to see her
face, but the whole attitude expressed such suffering that it was
terrible to see. What was more, her position put her in range of
every shot the cowboys might fire at the five as they charged. If
I could have stopped them I would have done so, but, since that
was impossible, I cried,--

"Mr. Camp, I'll surrender the letters."

"Hold on, boys," shouted Baldwin; "wait till we get the property
he stole." And, coming through the crowd, he threw the noose off
my neck.

"Don't shoot, Mr. Cullen," I yelled, as my friends halted and
raised their rifles, and, fortunately, the cowboys had opened up
enough to let them hear me and see that I was free of the rope.

Escorted by Camp, Baldwin, and the cowboys, I walked towards
them. On the way Baldwin said, in a low voice, "Deliver the
letters, and we'll tell the boys there has been a mistake.
Otherwise--"

When we came up to the five, I called to them that I had agreed
to surrender the letters. While I was saying it, Miss Cullen
joined them, and it was curious to see how respectfully the
cowboys took off their hats and fell back.

"You are quite right," Mr. Cullen called. "Give them the letters
at once."

"Oh, do, Mr. Gordon," said Madge, still white and breathless with
emotion. "The money is nothing. Don't think--" It was all she
could say.

I felt pretty small, but with Camp and Baldwin, now reinforced by
Judge Wilson, I