Train's Trust — Max Brand

Steven Train is and has long been a thief and card sharp. He has gone by other names. He is
sought out by another crook, John Ranier, with a proposal. Rainer saved a rich rancher, Patrick
Comstock, from serious injury and was rewarded with an easy job, working for Comstock. Rainer
tells Steve Train that Comstock is looking for an honest man who is also adept with firearms to
undertake a very dangerous and responsible mission. Comstock has asked Ranier to help find
such a man. Rainier wants Train to apply for the job with the understanding that they will split
evenly the money Ranier is certain will be entrusted to Train. Train agrees to make the attempt
and his interview with Comstock is successful. Many years ago Comstock convinced a friend
named James Nair Cartwright to invest all of his money in oil stocks, only for the stocks to fail.
Cartwright lost his investment and disappeared. Subsequently one of the oil stocks prospered
and earned Cartwright $50,000. Comstock believes that Cartwright became the notorious outlaw
now known as James Nair, who is a killer and almost impossible to reach. Train s job will be to
find Nair and pay him the $50,000. Train is pleased to accept the assignment, but a detective
shows up who has been long trying to capture Train for crimes committed by him under various
aliases. Train now must persuade Comstock that he is not the man the detective is pursuing and
that he should be trusted with the mission to find James Nair. Oddly, there is the impulse in Steve
Train, that should Comstock trust him, despite the detective s accusations, he will double-cross
Rainier and actually try to execute faithfully what Comstock wants of him.