The fact that Mallory was a soldier occurred to a number of the passengers simultaneously. They had been trained by early studies in those beautiful works of fiction, the school histories of the United States, and by many Fourths of July, to believe that the American soldier is an invincible being, who has never been defeated and never known fear. They surged up to Mallory in a wave of hope. Dr. Temple, being nearest, spoke first. Having learned by experience that his own prayers were not always answered as he wished, had an impulse to try some weapon he had never used. "Young man," he pleaded across the back of a seat, "will you kindly lend me a gun?" Mallory answered sullenly: "Mine is in my trunk on the train ahead, damn it. If I had it I'd have a lot of fun." Mrs. Whitcomb had an inspiration. She ran to her berth, and came back with a tiny silver-plated revolver. "I'll lend you this. Sammy gave it to me to protect myself in Nevada!" Mallory smiled at the .22-calibre toy, broke it open, and displayed an empty cylinder. "Where are the pills that go with it?" he said. "Oh, Sammy wouldn't let me have any bullets. He was afraid I'd hurt myself." Mallory returned it, with a bow. "It would make an excellent nut-cracker." "Aren't you going to use it?" Mrs. Whitcomb gasped. "It's empty," Mallory explained. "But the robbers don't know that! Couldn't you just overawe them with it?" "Not with that," said Mallory, "unless they died laughing." Mrs. Wellington pushed forward: "Then what the devil are you going to do when they come?" Mallory answered meekly: "If they request it, I shall hold up my hands." "And you won't resist?" Kathleen gasped. "Not a resist." "And he calls himself a soldier!" she sneered. Mallory writhed, but all he said was: "A soldier doesn't have to be a jackass. I know just enough about guns not to monkey with the wrong end of 'em." "Coward!" she flung at him. He turned white, but Marjorie red, and made a leap at her, crying: "He's the bravest man in the world. You say a word, and I'll scratch your eyes out." This reheartened Mallory a little, and he laughed nervously, as he restrained her. Kathleen retreated out of danger, with a parting shot: "Our engagement is off." "Thanks," Mallory said, and put out his hand: "Will you return the bracelet?" "I never return such things," said Kathleen. The scene was so painful and such an anachronism that Dr. Temple tried to renew a more pressing subject: "It's your opinion then that we'd best surrender?" "Of course--since we can't run." Wedgewood broke in impatiently: "Well, I consider it a dastardly outrage. I'll not submit to it. I'm a subject of His Majesty the----" "You're a subject of His Majesty the Man Behind the Gun," said Mallory. "I shall protest, none the less," Wedgewood insisted. Mallory grinned a little. "Have you any last message to send home to your mother?" Wedgewood was a trifle chilled at this. "D-don't talk of such things," he said.