Subscribe!The next morning Isaac arose first and finally got a good look at Charlie.
Charlie, despite being over six feet tall, was not an overbearing presence. He was clean shaven and had a surprising light complexion for someone who made his living off the land. The clothes he wore seemed remarkably unweathered and fit as though tailored for him. Everyone Isaac knew, including himself, had to buy their clothes at the ready-to-wear store where a proper fit was rare. The newness and fitting of Charlie's clothes made Isaac conscious of his own clothing, all of which was at least one size too large: a pair of black boots, blue wool trousers probably previously worn by a soldier fighting the Apaches, a long sleeve white (or used to be white) dress shirt, a black vest, and a grey blazer. He had been overjoyed the day he found an old train engineeer's hat at the ready-to-wear store, and that hat along with a brown bandana he wore around his neck were his only accessories. Charlie was wearing a pair of black dress shoes, black dress pants and a black suit jacket over a clean white dress shirt. The only thing that was missing was from the outfit was a tie. He also had a black bowler hat.
As Isaac was taking this in, Charlie stirred and finally opened his eyes. They were green, and in this landscape seemed almost unreal, like the leaves of a desert rose.
"Good morning."
Isaac was a little startled. He wondered if Charlie had noticed him staring. After a brief pause, Isaac caught himself and responded awkwardly.
"Good morning."
"Are you hungry?"
Charlie surprised Isaac once more by having breakfast in his bag: eggs and bacon. He cooked the eggs and gave the bacon to Charlie to cook. Isaac could not help but wonder what motive Charlie had in sharing his food. Surely he's not just being friendly. People willing to share such precious commodities as food with you never do so out of the kindness of their hearts or, as Charlie seemed to claim, laziness. But, each meal Charlie shared with him was one less meal he had to worry about later.
Much like the night before, they ate in silence, the only sounds the crackling fire and the oil still sizzling in the iron pans as they cooled. Isaac was accustomed to most people talking too much for his taste, but this was the first person he had met that actually talked too little for his taste. It just added to his suspicion.
During their breakfast, Charlie pulled out a newspaper. Isaac noticed Charlie read the paper with intense interest. He wondered what could be so interesting about old news, since that paper had to be two or three weeks old if Charlie really had been out hunting as long as he claimed. Charlie began to speak.
"You remember last night when I said I was considering a change of occupation."
"Yes." Isaac slowly replied, almost as if asking a question.
"Well, this here story is why."
"What's it about?"
Charlie was briefly confused, but then realized that Isaac couldn't read. Most people out here couldn't read, especially those that had to make a living by hunting. "It's about train robbers."
Isaac now bore the look of confusion. What could he be thinking? Certainly he doesn't mean to become a train robber? Perhaps he means to chase train robbers, or to become a deputy or bounty hunter. I've heard there's actually pretty good money in bounty hunting, especially with so many outlaws running loose. Or maybe there's hidden loot in some mountain cave and he means to become a treasure seeker.
"You look confused."
Isaac snapped back from his thoughts. "Oh, well, I don't really follow what you're trying to get at. Do you want to chase train robbers?"
"No."
"So, you don't want to become a deputy or bounty hunter or anything like that?"
"No." The corner of Charlie's mouth began to curl into a smirk.
"You want to go hunting for the loot they hide away in the mountains?"
"No." Charlie was now smiling from ear to ear.
Isaac sat for a moment, furrowing his brow. Certainly he doesn't mean to become a train robber! Does he? His eyes widened at the thought and his mouth opened a bit.
"You figured it out?" Charlie asked, smiling widely.
"You want to become a train robber?" Isaac asked meekly.
"Precisely!"
"But why?"
"Let me read you the story."
"Alright." Isaac absent-mindedly answered. He was a little shocked by the suggestion that somebody as well to do as Charlie seemed to be would become a train robber. He forgot his insecurity at being unable to read and for the first time since he was a child did not protest when someone offered to read something to him.
Charlie looked down at the paper, still smiling. It was the Albuquerque Morning Journal, dated March 11, 1884. He cleared his throat and put on a more serious expression before reading the headline:
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WILL ROB NO MORE The Whole Gang of Train Robbers Bite the Dust Mitch Lee, Kit Joy, Frank Taggart, and George Cleveland Gone Where the Woodbine Twineth and The Wicked Cease from Troubling |
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"Silver City, New Mexico, March ten. Four of the train robbers and Carlos Chavez, the murderer and Charles Spencer, the horse thief, broke jail this morning at 9 o'clock. A large posse of our citizens immediately followed them to the foothills of the Pinos Altos range which is some six miles north of town, where they overtook them, and in the desperate fight that ensued one of our most estimable citizens, J. W. Laffer was killed, as was also George W. Cleveland, the negro train robber, and Carlos Chavez, the murderer of the Chinaman at Fort Bayard, Mitch Lee was wounded and captured and Frank Taggart was also captured. Both of these men were hung one half mile from where they were captured by a party of determined citizens. Kit Joy, another of the train robbers, is still at large. He is the man who murdered Joseph W. Laffer. A party of three started in pursuit of Joy, and it is believed that he was overtaken and killed as his pursuers are very reticent about the matter. In any event, he is badly wounded and his escape is simply impossible." "John W. Laffer was one of our foremost and most enterprising businessmen, esteemed by all who knew him and that he should meet his death at the hands of such a gang seems almost unbearable." "The negro Cleveland was captured by Sheriff Whitehill and brought here by Socorro county officers, he is the man who gave the officers a clue by which all the others have been arrested. Taggert is the man captured near St. John, Arizona, and brought back here via Albuquerque by Sheriff Whitehill and his son. Mitch Lee was taken in the American Valley country not a great while ago while Kit Joy has only been in custody a short time. This is the gang that threw the Southern Pacific train off the track at Deming, and then shot the engineer. This death for the desperadoes is a fitting one and nobody in the Territory will regret the fact that they are gone never to return. There seems to be no doubt, but what Kit Joy has gone beyond." |
Isaac sat quietly listening the whole time, reacting to nothing Charlie read. Once he realized that Charlie had finished reading, he asked "Why does that make you want to become a train robber? They all got what they deserved. Just like the story said, I don't regret that they are gone never to return."
"But." Charlie paused for emphasis. "They almost got away. If George had not ratted out the others, they would still be free. Plus, Frank Taggart was innocent. What kind of world is it where an innocent man is killed and his named sullied in the paper without so much as a trial? It seems to me that if you can get away with it, you might as well try. Besides, we can view our train robbery as a sort of punishment for the people that unjustly killed Frank."
"I don't know. Frank probably was associated with the robbers, so I doubt he was as innocent as you claim. And even if innocent people are killed for crimes they didn't commit, at least they died innocent and will reap their reward in the afterlife. . ."
Charlie interrupted. "Hah! Afterlife! I tell you, God is dead to me. There is no afterlife. You have to enjoy what little time you have here. It shouldn't be spent toiling out here in the wilderness hoping to catch a morsel for dinner!"
Isaac glared at Charlie. "God is dead? Well, I don't know what path has led you to such a conclusion, but I'd appreciate it if you don't ever say that to me again. I know God is alive and well. I see him and his handiwork everyday. Look at those mountains. Look at the sunrises, the sunsets. Look at the desert flowers. Look into the eyes of a beautiful lady when she smiles. That's all the proof I need."
"Okay, I see your point." Charlie replied, trying to calm Isaac. "But I still think that if George hadn't ratted on them, they would still be free, enjoying a good life. They should have gone to Mexico afterwards."
"So, you think just because you think you can get away with it, we should do it? I haven't had much schooling, but even to me that seems wrong. You're still stealing money from people that worked hard to get it."
"No, we wouldn't be stealing from people that worked hard to get it. We would be stealing from people who earned huge profits off the backs of hard working people. Plus, they should have insurance, so they actually won't lose anything. If they're too cheap to buy insurance, that's their own fault."
"But still, it's just wrong."
"Let me ask you this, what do you have to lose? You want to get married? Well, with the money we get from the train, you'll finally be able to afford a nice house and be able to settle down. That's my motivation. I want to get back to my wife."
Those words reverberated in Isaac's mind. I want to get back to my wife. It was likely the earnestness in Charlie's voice and the intensity with which he said it that made them resonate in Isaac's mind. So that's why he wants to do this. He's just a desperate mine just trying to get home. But, why can't he just go? Why does he need to rob a train? He must have some sort of debt he has to pay off. He sat in thought for a bit longer before he finally spoke again.
"I've never done anything wrong in my life, unless you count gambling. But that doesn't hurt anybody but me. I don't want to shoot or be a part of shooting an innocent engineer or anybody else that might stand in our way."
"Nor do I, Isaac. That's why we need to come up with another plan, something more covert. These guys threw the train off its tracks and still nearly got away. Imagine if we could pull off a heist with the train still on the tracks. We could be halfway to Mexico before they even knew anything had happened. We won't carry any weapons."
"Well, that at least sounds reasonable, if robbing a train can ever sound reasonable."
"Plus, if you want you can take some of the money and do some good with it, you will have done more good with it than the previous owners had planned. You could be a modern day Robin Hood."
"Robin Hood?"
"Take from the rich, give to the poor. Nevermind. Just think it over some more and let me know what you think."
Isaac nodded at Charlie but said nothing more. Charlie got up and walked away from their camp, leaving his stuff behind. He wanted to give Isaac some space to think, and he also thought that leaving his things might aid in gaining Isaac's trust.
Many thoughts were racing through Isaac's mind. He did want to get married and start a family, and the loot from a train robbery would certainly afford him the ability to do just that. Plus, he could do more good with the money than it was currently likely destined. Then a new thought. If he were to turn Charlie in for plotting a train robbery, there would certainly be a handsome reward. But, the pay off from the robbery would be far greater than reward money. Still, either way he would probably be set for life. But, if he did turn Isaac in, there was no guarantee of reward money. There wasn't even a guarantee of a pat on the back. But here was also no risk of jail time. Unless he ran into a crooked deputy that twisted the facts to make him an accomplice so that he could collect some reward money. He had heard of that happening before. A part of him also felt for Charlie. Charlie seemed more than anything just to want to get back to his wife. You can't fault a man for that.
Charlie returned shortly before lunchtime that day. Isaac had only one thing to say to him.
"Let's do it."
