The Train Robbery

It had been a quiet trip thus far and the southern Arizona countryside was beautiful this time of year. He tried to enjoy the scenery but this was not an ordinary train run. Although he made this trip twice a week; today he was carrying precious cargo. Instead of looking at the vibrant red hills he was scouting for bandits. Jed, his long time friend and the engineer was right alongside him and he was someone to ride the river with.

They had been informed at the last moment that they would be hauling a shipment of gold for the bank in Tucson. It was supposed to have been on another train but they were using it as a decoy while their train carried the real stuff. “Boy, this sure does make me nervous,” Emmett said to Jed. “I wish they would have given us some armed guards or something.”

You know they couldn’t do that,” explained Jed. “If we’d of had guards then everyone would have known we was carrying the gold. We have to make them think we are just hauling supplies as usual.” I know, I know, but it don’t make me feel any easier,” said Emmett with a huff.

They were entering the area of Picacho’s Peak when out of nowhere the piercing sound of gun shots was heard! Gus, the crewman in the caboose would be the first to spot them. They had been hiding behind a large group of rocks just waiting for the right moment to strike.

“What is it,” Jed asked Emmett in an anxious voice? “Are they bandits? Yes, and it looks like there are three of them,” Emmett replied. “They are riding fast and heading this way. Can’t you make this train go any faster?”

“No, wait, make that four of them. We are in a heap of trouble. I knew we should of had some armed guards,” said Emmett. “We don’t know much about firing guns, we are city folk.” “Well take the rifle anyway and aim as if your life depended on it,” Jed replied.

“One of them is getting closer,” cried Emmett. “Just shoot him,” Jed yelled! “I am trying to make this train go as fast as she will go without blowing the boiler.”

“He looks like a Mexican. I can see his dark skin from here, said Emmett; his voice rising with excitement.

By this time Gus had gotten the shotgun out of the caboose and was preparing to fire. “Hey Jed, one of them is trying to get on the train! Well do what you can to stop him. We just got to get that gold to Tucson.”

“He got on and now a second one is getting on”, said Emmett with disgust. “Can’t you hit anything,” asked Jed. “You try hitting something when you are dodging bullets,” hollered Emmett back at Jed.

The fourth bandit was keeping Gus busy so he was not having any luck either at keeping them off the train.

Would Gus be able to shoot and spoil their plans?

Things were happening so fast now it was hard to concentrate.

There was a terrible moan and Emmett saw that the bandit on the black & white horse had just shot Gus. Emmett’s heart sank and Jed knew something was wrong by the look on his face. “What happened?” asked Jed anxiously, not knowing if he really wanted the answer. “Gus just got shot,” Emmett replied in a very quiet voice.

Meanwhile, the two bandits were now in the box car. “Here’s what we’re looking for,” the one said to the other. “Now lets get out of here.”

As they proceeded to dump the bank box out of the train car, Gus; who had just been wounded mustered his strength and tried to take another shot at them.

The fourth bandit saw the rifle barrel out of the corner of his eye and wheeled his horse around and fired at Gus again. This time it was a fatal wound.

“NO!” Emmett yelled at the top of his lungs as Gus slumped out of the window and the bandits jumped off the train. What a hopeless situation, he had just lost his good friend, the bandits had gotten the gold and there was nothing he could do about it.

As the train pulled away the bandits regrouped to gloat over their prize. A man with a deep voice said, “Let’s get this loaded up and head back to base. I don’t want to be any where around here when that train gets to Tucson.”