Strayhorn climbed up the rock-covered berm and stood on the track, looking north. “I sure wish the moon wasn’t so bright.”
A full moon hung in the eastern sky, making the twin ribbons of steel gleam softly.
“Don’t worry none about the moon,” No Nose said. “Once we have what we’ve come for, we’ll be able to ride out of here with no problem. There won’t be nobody followin’ us.”
“The money, you mean,” Strayhorn said.
“What?”
“You said once we have what we come for. You’re talkin’ about money, right? This train is carryin’ a lot of money?”
“I don’t know,” No Nose replied.
“You don’t know? What do you mean, you don’t know?” Teech asked. “What the hell are we doin’ here, if you don’t know whether or not the train is carryin’ any money?”
“’Cause we ain’t here for the money,” No Nose said.
“That’s it,” Teech said angrily. “I ain’t standin’ out in the middle of nowhere, in the middle of the night, waitin’ to rob a train that ain’t carryin’ no money.”
“Teech is right, No Nose,” Strayhorn said. “You said you would tell us what you had in mind when the time came. Well, seems to me like the time has come.”
In the distance, the men heard the long, lonesome wail of a train whistle.
“Here it comes,” No Nose said. “You men get in position, and stay out of sight until I give the word.”
“What are we doin’ here, No Nose? If we ain’t robbin’ this train, what are we doin’ here?” Teech demanded.
“I’ll tell you this,” No Nose said. “Just go along with me, and there will be more money than you can imagine.”
Strayhorn looked at the others, then back at No Nose. “All right,” he said. “We’ve come this far, we may as well see it through. But if this turns out to be nothin’, you don’t have to worry about the law comin’ after you, No Nose, ’cause I’ll kill you my ownself.”
“Damn, I can hear it, but I still don’t see no train yet,” Decker said.
“You will. Just keep looking that way,” Strayhorn said.
They heard the whistle a couple more times before they saw it. And even then, they didn’t see the train, but they did see the headlamp, a gas flame behind a glass, set in front of a mirrored reflector. The reflector gathered all the light from the gas flame, intensified it, and then projected it forward in a long beam that stabbed ahead, picking up insects that gleamed in the light.
The train whistled again, and this time they could hear the puffing of the steam engine as it labored hard to pull the train though the night.
“Remember, nobody makes a move until I give the order,” No Nose said. “We don’t want to take a chance on being seen.”
No Nose walked up onto the track and stayed there until all the others were in position. He looked to see if any of them could be seen from the approaching train; then, satisfied that they could not, he ran back down to join them. He watched the train approach, listening to the puffs of steam as it escaped from the pistons. He could see bright sparks embedded in the heavy, black smoke that poured from the flared smokestack. More sparks were falling from the firebox, leaving a carpet of orange-glowing embers lying between the rails and trailing out behind the train, glimmering for a moment or two in the darkness before finally going dark themselves.
The train began squeaking and clanging as the engineer applied the brakes. It got slower, and slower still, until finally it approached the water tower. The engineer brought his train to a stop in exactly the right place. By now, the fireman was already standing on the tender, reaching for the line that hung down from the curved mouth of the long water spout.
For a long moment, the area was very quiet, the solitude interrupted only by the sigh of escaping steam and the snapping and popping of bearings and fittings as they cooled. The fireman grabbed the water spout, then swung the spigot down and guided it to the open mouth of the tender. He pulled on the valve rope, and the water started thundering into the cavernous tank.
“Now,” Strayhorn shouted, and all five men rushed toward the engine.
The engineer, who was leaning out the cab window, saw the men approaching and jumped back with a start.
“Who are you? What do you want?”
“We want you to climb down from that engine,” No Nose said. He pointed his pistol at the fireman, who was standing on the tender, taking on water. “’Cause if you don’t, we’re goin’ to kill your fireman.”
“No,” the engineer said. “Don’t shoot him, I’m comin’ down.”
The engineer climbed down onto the ground alongside the track and stood there beside the huge engine as it continued to vent steam through its relief valve.
“Fireman,” Strayhorn called. “Get yourself some water and douse that fire.”
“Are you serious? If I put the fire out that way, it’ll take two or three hours before we can get steam up to run again. We’ve got trains comin’ up behind us, it could cause a wreck.”
“That’s your problem, not ours. Douse the fire like I said, or we’ll kill you and do it ourselves,” No Nose demanded.
“All right, all right,” the fireman said. “I’ll do it, I’ll do it.”
“I don’t know why you stopped our train,” the engineer said as the fireman got a bucket from the cab, then filled it with water. “We aren’t carrying any money.”
There was a loud hissing noise as the fireman tossed water into the firebox.
“I know you ain’t carryin’ no money,” No Nose said. “That ain’t what we’re after.”
The engineer shook his head in confusion. “Then, I don’t understand. What are you after?”
No Nose pointed to the first car behind the baggage car. “We’re after the person that’s in that private car,” he said.
“Are you serious? There’s nobody in that car but one young woman,” the engineer said.
“Yeah,” No Nose replied with a broad grin. “The governor’s niece.”
“The governor’s niece?” Strayhorn asked. “That’s what we come here for?”
“Yeah.”
“Why?”
“Think about it,” No Nose said. “Remember when I asked you how much money the governor has?”
“Yes.”
“Well, we’re about to get some of it. I figure the governor is going to be willing to pay a lot to get her back.”
When the train made the stop for water, Layne, who was asleep in the bedroom of the governor’s private car, was only vaguely aware. She was too comfortable and too tired from all the packing and the preparation for her return to Cairo to pay too much attention to it.
Rolling over in bed, she pulled the covers up and listened to the bumping sounds from outside as the fireman lowered the spout from the trackside water tower and began a flow of water into the tank.
Layne thought of the fireman standing out there in the in the middle of the night and, by contrast, it made her own condition seem even more comfortable. She was not aware of the drama being played out just outside the train. Even as she was drifting back to sleep, No Nose, Strayhorn, and Teech were climbing onto the private car. The car was dimly lit by two low-burning gimbal-mounted lanterns, one on either side. The lanterns illuminated the luxuriousness of the car, the plush sofa, the overstuffed chairs, and a table on which sat a silver tray of pastries.
“Damn, would you look at this?” Teech said, helping himself to a pastry. “You ever see a railroad car like this before?”
“No,” Strayhorn said. “Pay attention to what you’re doin’.”
Suddenly, a porter appeared from a small corridor at the back of the car.
“What’s goin’ on here? What are you men doin’ on this car?” he asked.
“Where’s she at?” Strayhorn asked.
The porter picked up a knife that was lying on the table. “Get off this car,” he ordered.
Strayhorn drew his pistol and fired, his bullet
hitting the porter in the neck. The porter’s eyes grew wide and he dropped the knife, then clutched at his throat. Blood spilled through his fingers as he fell to the floor.
Inside the small bedroom, Layne was awakened by the loud sound of the gunshot. She sat up in her bed.
“Oh! What is it? What is going on?”
Suddenly, the door to the bedroom compartment was jerked open. She opened her mouth to scream, but one of men stuck the barrel of his gun in her mouth.
“If you scream, I’ll pull the trigger,” he said in a low, gruff voice.
Layne stared at him with eyes that were open wide with fear, but she made no sound.
“That’s a good girl,” the man said. “Get up.”
“I ah ess I ill iow,” she mumbled, unable to talk because of the gun in her mouth.
“What did you say?” Strayhorn asked as he pulled the gun out.
“I said I’m not dressed. I’m still in my nightgown.”
“Well, get dressed,” No Nose said. “We’ll wait.”
“I’ll have to take my nightgown off.”
“Then do it.”
“But I don’t have anything on under my nightgown.”
No Nose smiled an evil smile. “Good,” he said.
Layne hesitated, and No Nose pointed his pistol at her, then cocked it. “Do it, or I’ll shoot you here and now,” he ordered.
Trying hard to hold back her tears and shaking uncontrollably, Layne pulled the nightgown over her head, exposing her nudity.
“Damn, Strayhorn, lookit that,” Teech said. “I ain’t never seen nothin’ like that.”
“You’ve seen naked women before,” Strayhorn said.
Teech shook his head. “All I’ve ever seen was whores. I might’a thought I’d seen naked women before, but I tell you true, I ain’t never seen nothin’ like this.”
Finally, with every inch of her skin burning in embarrassment, Layne got dressed. She looked at the men who were ogling her.
“What now?” she asked.
No Nose made a motion with his pistol. “Now, you come with us,” he said.
“Hey, No Nose, seein’ her naked like that has got me all excited here. Are we goin’ to get to have us any fun with this woman?” Teech asked as they led Layne off the train.
“It all depends,” No Nose replied.
“Depends on what?”
“Whether or not the governor pays what we’re goin’ to ask him,” No Nose said.
The outlaws followed Mustang Creek south to a small cabin that was no more than two miles from where they had removed her from the train. Layne had ridden on the horse in front of Decker, who was selected because he was the smallest. Once they reached the cabin, they tied her up, then tied her to a bed that had a dirty mattress but no sheets or blankets.
Layne’s back and legs were cramped, and the ropes were beginning to rub blisters on her wrists. She had no idea where she was, nor did she know why they had taken her. She just knew that she had never been so terrified in her life.
“You want something to eat?” Strayhorn asked.
Layne now knew their names because she had heard them addressing each other. She was very careful not to let them know that she knew their names, though, because she was afraid that if they knew she knew, they might kill her just to keep her quiet.
“I’m not hungry,” Layne said.
“You got to eat somethin’,” Strayhorn said, offering her a plate of very unappetizing-looking beans. “You ain’t et nothin’ since we brung you here.”
“I’m not hungry.”
“Here, try to eat somethin’,” Strayhorn said, holding a spoon toward her mouth.
Keeping her mouth tightly shut, Layne turned her face away.
“Goddamnit woman, eat!” Strayhorn demanded.
“Leave her alone,” No Nose said. “If she don’t want to eat, she don’t have to eat.”
“She’s got to eat sometime,” Strayhorn said. “We ain’t goin’ to get nothin’ from the governor if she starves herself to death.”
“You aren’t going to get anything from the governor?” Layne said. “Is that what this is all about? You think the governor is going to pay you to get me back?”
“Do you think he ain’t?” No Nose asked. “What father wouldn’t pay to get his daughter back unharmed?”
“He’s not my father, he’s my uncle,” Layne said.
“I know that. But father, uncle, it don’t make no difference. He’s goin’ to pay us a lot of money to get you back.”
“That is, as long as she is alive,” Strayhorn said. “That’s why I’m trying to feed her.”
Layne felt a bit better after hearing that. She was not as frightened for her life as she was, since it was obvious that they would need to keep her alive in order for their scheme to work.
“I’m not hungry now,” Layne said, softening her tone somewhat. “Maybe later.”
“That’s all right by me,” Strayhorn said. “If you don’t want to eat, I ain’t goin’ to beg you. It ain’t no skin off my ass, that’s for sure,” he said. “I’ll just eat ’em myself.”
He put the spoon of beans in his own mouth.
Chapter Twenty
Colorado Springs
“Extra! Extra! Governor’s niece taken from train!” the newspaper boy shouted. “Extra! Extra!”
Matt was walking up from the hotel when he heard the newsboy, and he held up his hand to summon him.
“Boy, I’ll take a paper,” he said.
“Yes, sir, Mr. Jensen,” the boy said, his eyes wide with wonder. Since the showdown in the street with Hennessey and Taylor, Matt Jensen’s name was on everyone’s lips, and the newsboy recognized him at once.
Matt gave the boy a quarter.
“It ain’t but a two cents is all the cost it is,” the boy said.
“That’s all right. You can keep the quarter.”
“Yes, sir!” the boy said excitedly. “Thank you, Mr. Jensen!”
Matt took the paper into the saloon, then found an empty table and sat down to read.
No Leads on Missing Woman.
Porter Foully Murdered.
The fate of Miss Layne McKenzie, niece of Governor John Long Routt, is still unknown. The engineer, fireman, and conductor of the Flyer reported that the young lady was taken from the governor’s private car shortly after midnight on the 8th instant, when the train stopped at Mustang Creek to take on water.
That Miss McKenzie was the target of their scheme is not in question, as the engineer stated that they knew she was on the train and had no other purpose in mind but to take her.
“I don’t know how they knew it,” Paul Cephus, the engineer, reported. “But they knew from the moment they stopped the train that she was a passenger.”
Travis Smith, the porter who was assigned to the governor’s car, came to the young lady’s defense and was murdered for his efforts.
“We are very concerned about this and are doing all we can do to bring about a safe recovery of Miss McKenzie,” General William Jackson Palmer, President of the Denver and Rio Grande, said to this newspaper. “We are asking that anyone who has any information on Miss McKenzie’s whereabouts please contact the authorities. The railroad is offering a reward of one thousand dollars to anyone who can offer assistance in the safe recovery of Miss McKenzie.”
“Damn,” Matt said, folding the paper and putting it on the table. “Damn.”
“Something wrong, Mr. Jensen?” one of the bar girls asked, seeing the expression on his face.
“Yes,” Matt said. He pointed to the paper. “A young woman that I know, the governor’s niece, was abducted from the train.”
“You know the governor’s niece?” the bar girl asked, her eyes wide with wonder.
Matt nodded. “Yes, I know her.”
The bar girl picked up the paper and began reading the article. “Oh, how frightened she must be,” she said.
“I was told that I could find Matt Jensen in here,” a man’s voi
ce said rather loudly.
The tone in the voice of the inquisitor alerted Matt, and instantly, he was ready for a confrontation. He dropped his hand to his pistol, though as he was still sitting at the table, that move wasn’t apparent to all.
“I’m Matt Jensen,” Matt called out.
“Oh, am I glad to have found you,” the man said. He started toward Matt.
“That’s far enough,” Matt said, holding up his left hand to stop the man.
“I beg your pardon?” the man asked, confusion evident in his face.
“Who are you, and why are you looking for me?”
“Oh. My name is James Cornett, Mr. Jensen. I represent the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad. And I have a message for you from the governor.”
Matt relaxed and nodded. “Come ahead,” he said. The man, unaware that he had just been tested and passed, came the rest of the way across the floor, removing a folded piece of paper from his jacket pocket as he did so.
“This is from the governor,” he said, handing the paper to Matt.
Matt took the message from Cornett, unfolded it, and began to read.
Matt Jensen,
Matt, can you return to Denver soonest? As you may have heard by now, my niece, Layne McKenzie, was taken from my private car by armed men while she was returning home. I have received a ransom demand of ten thousand dollars. I can meet the demand, but would have no guarantee of the safe return of my niece.
I urgently request that you make a personal effort to find and rescue my niece. If you would agree to undertake this assignment, I can furnish you with a state commission that will give you legal authority in any county in the state. In addition, the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad will provide you with a very generous reward.
If you agree to the proposal, please accompany Mr. Cornett, the bearer of this message, back to the depot, where a private train awaits you.
Sincerely,
John Long Routt
Governor of Colorado
When Matt and Cornett reached the station, Matt saw an engine with steam up, a tender, the governor’s private car, and a stock car. The side door of the stock car was open, and a ramp ran from the door to the ground.
Deadly Trail Page 17
