Lane was a former officer in the Civil War for the Union. He is twice described by other characters as hard-headed. He punches an old friend (Grady) for bringing two men on a job who won't listen to his orders. As another example of his hard-headedness, when ten men are killed in course of protecting themselves and the gold, Mrs. Lowe proposes abandoning their effort. Lane responds: Mrs. Lowe, I set out to get you and that gold back to the railroad. That's what I full intend to do. Mrs. Lowe: No matter what? Lane: No matter what. Lane has a strong sense of ethics, or fairness, as well. He gives advice to the youngest member of the team: I hate to have to tell you this, Ben. But whether you like it or not you're a man and you're stuck with it. You'll find yourself standing your ground and fighting when you oughtta run, speaking out when you oughtta keep your mouth shut, doing things that will seem wrong to a lot of people, but you'll do 'em all the same....You're gonna spend the rest of your life getting up one more time than you're knocked down, so you better start getting used to it. These thoughts go a long way in indicating Lane's view of life, as well indicating how he thinks men should deal with the world.Lane also uses foresight, or thinking ahead. When the group is running from their pursuers, a band of robbers, one night they come to a town. Everyone is tired and they assume they will spend the night there. We have been hearing a baby crying in the background, and Lane says, You ever bury a baby, Jesse? No, Jesse responds. Neither have I, and I don't intend to. Let's go. Lane realizes that staying in the town will endanger the townspeople if the robbers catch up with them there and there is a gunfight.Lane is not an awfully complex character, but he is not simple, or one-dimensional either. He is obviously the hero of the tale, the good guy, but he is also flawed (although willing to acknowledge and apologize for his mistakes), and a self-admitted drifter. Often others suffer from his sense of justice and his willingness to mete out punishment himself. Show less «