I was at the train station waiting for the arrival of the Secret Service agents. When the train arrived I was surprised to see Special Agent Gilford Covney come with the two other men. Shaking each of their hands I asked if they wanted to go to the bank or get something to eat first.
“Let’s get to the bank; see what we can find,” said one of the men.
Off we went and I informed Covney of what took place the night before.
“You say that one of them is in jail?” Covney asked. “Is he secure?”
“Sheriff Gold said that he would stay in the jail until you arrived. I would spell him later so that he could make his rounds,” I informed him. “Charlie is doing double-duty right now as the town doesn’t have a marshal. He hasn’t been able to travel to trouble spots in the county. We have Douster, the former head-teller in jail as well. I’m not sure what part he plays in all of this.”
“Hmmm,” muttered Covney. “I’ll have a chat with him later.”
I nodded to Ooverholm when we went into the bank. There were no customers so I motioned him over and introduced him to Covney and the two agents, McClure and Gibbons. He showed us the office of the bank president.
They two agents looked around at the walls so I spoke up. “Gentlemen, I think what you might be looking for is underneath that desk. That’s where I caught Douster looking.” I already knew there was some kind of hiding place there.
Going to each side of the heavy desk they heaved it out of the way and pulled back the carpet. Sure enough there was a hidden safe in the floor.
“Mister Ooverholm, do you have the combination?” asked Covney.
He stood there gawking at the safe. “No sir, I have no idea. I had no idea it was there.”
Agent Gibbons started rummaging through the bag he was carrying and pulled out what looked like miniature sticks of dynamite. He pulled out a chisel and hammer commencing to chip away close to where the hinges might be located.
McClure looked on and then turned to Ooverholm. “I would close up the bank for a little while. Maybe stand outside assuring onlookers that everything is all right. There is going to be a little explosion after Todd gets the dynamite set.”
“Will, will, the bank be damaged?” Ooverholm asked in quavering voice.
“No, I assure you, only that little area near the safe,” McClure replied putting his hands on Ooverholm’s shoulder. “Agent Gibbons is an expert in this sort of thing,” he said pushing on Ooverholm. “Go on.”
In a few minutes Gibbons had enough of the floor chipped away and had placed the charges. “You all might want to step into the other room. One never knows what could happen,” he said with a smile.
We hurried out as he lit the fuse, then he rushed out to join us. Seconds later there were two small explosions, more the sound of large firecrackers. I doubt that many outside even heard it unless they were close to the bank.
McClure and Gibbons began to pry open the safe as the hinges were blown. Soon they had it open and inside were five bars of gold.
Covney looked at me. “More than likely you foiled the plan to add to those bars when you kept the gold shipment on the train car. Billington was supposed to give those bars to the men who had been chasing you and they would take it to a place in California. There was a bank out there with our surveillance on it as well. It seemed that Lillian’s husband and Billington’s brother-in-law were involved. Lillian was sent out here to investigate just after her father run off. Oh, by the way, the brother was the father of Billy Denton.”
“What a mess,” I said.
“McClure, you and Gibbons clean up here and secure the gold,” ordered Covney.
Covney and I started out. “When you’re through, come down to the diner. The meal’s on me.” I looked at Covney, “If that’s okay?”
He just smiled, went outside and spoke to Ooverholm. “You can open the bank now. My agents are just cleaning up.”
As we walked through the door of the diner. Molly smiled, pointed to my table and said, “Your table awaits you. Sit yourselves down and I’ll bring you some coffee.”
My eyebrows went up and I looked at her, then over to Covney. We walked over to the table where she had poured coffee and set the cups on the table.
“Mister Covney…”
“Gilford, please, Mrs. Forrest.”
Molly smiled. “Then it’s Molly to you. It’s good to see you again.”
We had ordered and were drinking coffee when McClure and Gibbons walked in and took a table by the front window.
“They can sit here with us,” I admonished.
“No, the less you are seen with them the better,” said Covney.
I have said it before, and here it happened again. In through the door walked…
Month: October 2018
Echoes From the Campfire
No hope for any man or any woman except in God!”
–Zane Grey (The Desert of Wheat)
“Love is to be sincere and active [the real thing—without guile and hypocrisy]. Hate what is evil [detest all ungodliness, do not tolerate wickedness]; hold on tightly to what is good.”
–Romans 12:9 (AMP)
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Last week, in looking at the first part of Psalm 7, David was groaning at being attacked without cause. This enemies want to tear him apart. He prays for the Lord to rise up and help him. Now the second half of this Psalm shows the faithfulness and righteousness of God. Ponder these words; seek to know the truth that is in them and the trust they give up to a holy, righteous God.
To start out remember that Satan is the “father of lies.” Everything he does is involved with lies and deceit. Augustine said that, “Every sin is a lie.”
I spent several years, twenty-eight to be exact, coaching. Every sport has rules to guide the participants, yet often there are those who do not play according to the rules. Players are expected to play fairly, but many people play to break the rules to their advantage and seem to get away with it.
“My shield is with God, who saves the upright in heart. (10)
God is a righteous judge, and a God who executes justice every day. (11)
In life, attitude is important. Every issue we face is really about eternity. We must face them with an eternal perspective and attitude. Faith then, is vital. Faith proceeds our actions. When God judges He will go straight to the heart. There are no excuses.
“If anyone does not repent, God will sharpen His sword; He has strung His bow and made it ready. (12)
He has prepared His deadly weapons; He tips His arrows with fire.” (13)
It is hard to understand the anger of God. He gets angry every day. It is only His grace, mercy, and longsuffering that controls His anger and wrath. Imagine God honing His blade. I believe He becomes angry over those who purposely mock Him and His moral laws. I believe He becomes angry when the innocent are hurt, maimed, and killed. I believe He becomes angry when people scorn the sacrifice of His Son for their sins. Think of that great Gift that was given and yet it is rejected, despised, mocked, and laughed at. One thing for sure, the Word of God is sharp and it cuts. It forces people to choose.
“See, he is pregnant with evil, conceives troubles, and gives birth to deceit. (14)
He dug a pit and hollowed it out, but fell into the hole he had made. (15)
His trouble comes back on his own head, and his violence falls on the top of his head.” (16)
What people do often recoils on them, however many do not even realize it. They continue on, often blaming others or simply “bad luck.” David realizes in the second half of this Psalm that life is not fair and there will be many who transgress, so there should never be a surprise.
“I will thank the LORD for His righteousness; I will sing about the name of the LORD, the Most High.” (17)
Interesting that David starts with woes and how people are against him. Once he remembers God, His power, might, and righteousness he ends the psalm with praise!
“Fatherlike he tends and spares us;
Well our feeble frame he knows.
In his hands he gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.”
–Carolina Sandell Berg
Coffee Percs
Coffee’s ready, and it’s the way you bronco bustin’ western men like it…hot, black, and strong enough to float a horseshoe.”
–Lou Bradshaw (Along the Way)
Morning to yuh, pard. I got up ‘fore graylight to get the coffee ready; figured yuh be comin’ by sometime this mornin’. Ahhh, nice to be back in the house and drinkin’ that hot nectar. One thing ’bout bein’ on the road is that there are places that have sufficient tastin’ coffee, but few where it really hits the spot. Don’t why I didn’t do it, but I usually keep a pot on the steel mount when I’m out travelin’. Taste that coffee; yuh wouldn’t believe it, but I’ve seen folk put water in my coffee sayin’ it’s too strong. Some things yuh just can’t figure out.
Like the election comin’ up. For the life of me I just can’t figure out why folk would vote socialist. Shows they don’t know their history. Also shows somethin’ of their character. Listen, nothin’s free–yuh better get that through yur noggin’.
I took a trip to the city yesterday. Tell yuh what, I’ve sure gotten used to the sounds out in the country. The noise in the city, well, it’s downright annoyin’! ‘Bout the biggest racket I hear out here is from the crows. Now for sure they can make a racket, but it’s not like the trucks, cars, and other noises where there’s loads of people.
Ahhhh, go ahead, finish that cup, there’s plenty more. I know a person can hear the voice of the Lord in the city. That ol’ parson, D.L. Moody had been prayin’ for more of God and the Lord visited him on the streets of the big city. But to my way of thinkin’, the silence that can be found in His great majestic cathedral that He created makes it easier. Either place, the key is to be a-listenin’! That’s one thing that’s happened since I’ve retired, at least to a certain extent. I can sit back, read, and ponder more than I used to do.
You be havin’ yurself a good week. Be sure an’ enjoy the Lord’s Day tomorrow, keep yur gun oiled and by yurside, get into yur Bible, and for goodness sake when yuh mount up, check yur cinch.
Echoes From the Campfire
Every idea is a seed and, like a seed, it germinates. Only you have to feed it to make it grow properly.”
–Louis L’Amour (Hanging Woman Creek)
“Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable–if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise–dwell on these things.”
–Philippians 4:8 (HCSB)
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Easy question to answer: What kind of ideas/thoughts are in your mind? We need to feed our minds the Word of God and not the world. The election is coming up. How will you vote? Do you have enough of God’s Word in you to vote according to it? One more question: How can a believer vote for someone who is in favor of abortion? Hmmm, I wonder if they will somehow have a few drops of blood from the unborn on their hands.
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“Commit your way to the Lord: trust in him, and he will act.”
—that fool Noah did, and built a stupid boat on dry land for years and years, and man lived.
—that fool Job did, and the world kicked him, and his friends did too, and so did his old religion, and he showed us a new face of God.
—that fool John the Baptist did, and he ate crunchy insects and dressed like a jerk, and baptized Jesus.
—that fool woman did; squeezing and elbowing through the crowd, just so she could grab at Jesus with her hand, sick, sick from years of a woman’s sickness, and she was healed.
But now we have aptitude tests, and counselors, and advisors, and rest camps, and pyschiatrist, and lots of brains, an WE act.
“Commit your way to the Lord, trust in him, and he will act.”
Lord have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us.
(taken from Lois A. Cheney’s book, God Is No Fool)
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Have a good Friday and good weekend. Don’t let the devil get the upper hand.