A LESSON IN POLITENESS
Within five minutes we had a big surprise, for the sheriff and
Mr. Baldwin came back, and the former announced that Fred and
Lord Ralles were free, having been released on bail. When we
found that Baldwin had gone on the bond, I knew that there was a
scheme of some sort in the move, and, taking Fred aside, I warned
him against trying to recover the proxies.
"They probably think that one or the other of you knows where the
letters are hidden," I whispered, "and they'll keep a watch on
you; so go slow."
He nodded, and followed the sheriff and Lord Ralles out.
The moment they were gone, Mr. Camp said, "I came back to give
you a last chance."
"That's very good of you," I said.
"I warn you," he muttered threateningly, "we are not men to be
beaten. There are fifty cowboys of Baldwin's in this town, who
think you were concerned in the holding up. By merely tipping
them the wink, they'll have you out of this, and after they've
got you outside I wouldn't give the toss of a nickel for your
life. Now, then, will you hand over those letters, or will you go
to ---- inside of ten minutes?"
I lost my temper in turn. "I'd much prefer going to some place
where I was less sure of meeting you," I retorted; "and as for
the cowboys, you'll have to be as tricky with them as you want to
be with me before you'll get them to back you up in your dirty
work."
At this point the sheriff called back to ask Camp if he was
coming.
"All right," cried Camp, and went to the door. "This is the last
call," he snarled, pausing for a moment on the threshold.
"I hope so," said I, more calmly in manner than in feeling, I
have to acknowledge, for I didn't like the look of things. That
they were in earnest I felt pretty certain, for I understood now
why they had let my companions out of jail. They knew that angry
cowboys were a trifle undiscriminating, and didn't care to risk
hanging more than was necessary.
A long time seemed to pass after they were gone, but in reality
it wasn't more than fifteen minutes before I heard some one steal
up and softly unlock the door. I confess the evident endeavor to
do it quietly gave me a scare, for it seemed to me it couldn't be
an above-board movement. Thinking this, I picked up the box on
which I had been sitting and prepared to make the best fight I
could. It was a good deal of relief, therefore, when the door
opened just wide enough for a man to put in his head, and I heard
the sheriff's voice say, softly,--
"Hi, Gordon!"
I was at the door in an instant, and asked,--
"What's up?"
"They're gettin' the fellers together, and sayin' that yer shot a
woman in the hold-up."
"It's an infernal lie," I said.
"Sounds that way to me," assented the sheriff; "but two-thirds of
the boys are drunk, and it's a long time since they've had any
fun."
"Well," I said, as calmly as I could, "are you going to stand by
me?"
"I would, Mr. Gordon," he replied, "if there was any good, but
there ain't time to get a posse, and what's one Winchester
against a mob of cowboys like them?"
"If you'll lend me your gun," I said, "I'll show just what it is
worth, without troubling you."
"I'll do better than that," offered the sheriff, "and that's what
I'm here for. Just sneak, while there's time."
"You mean--?" I exclaimed.
"That's it. I'm goin' away, and I'll leave the door unlocked. If
yer get clear let me know yer address, and later, if I want yer,
I'll send yer word." He took a grip on my fingers that numbed
them as if they had been caught in an air-brake, and disappeared.
I slipped out after the sheriff without loss of time. That there
wasn't much to spare was shown by a crowd with some torches down
the street, collected in front of a saloon. They were making a
good deal of noise, even for the West; evidently the flame was
being fanned. Not wasting time, I struck for the railroad,
because I knew the geography of that best, but still more because
I wanted to get to the station. It was a big risk to go there,
but it was one I was willing to take for the object I had in
view, and, since I had to take it, it was safest to get through
with the job before the discovery was made that I was no longer
in jail.
It didn't take me three minutes to reach the station. The whole
place was black as a coal-dumper, except for the slices of light
which shone through the cracks of the curtained windows in the
specials, the dim light of the lamp in the station, and the glow
of the row of saloons two hundred feet away. I was afraid,
however, that there might be a spy lurking somewhere, for it was
likely that Camp would hope to get some clue of the letters by
keeping a watch on the station and the cars. Thinking boldness the
safest course, I walked on to the platform without hesitation, and
went into the station. The "night man" was sitting in his chair,
nodding, but he waked up the moment I spoke.
"Don't speak my name," I said, warningly, as he struggled to his
feet; and then in the fewest possible words I told him what I
wanted of him,--to find if the pony I had ridden (Camp's or
Baldwin's) was in town and, if so, to learn where it was, and to
get the letters on the quiet from under the saddle-flap. I chose
this man, first, because I could trust him, and next, because I
had only one of the Cullens as an alternative, and if any of them
went sneaking round, it would be sure to attract attention. "The
moment you have the letters, put them in the station safe," I
ended, "and then get word to me."
"And where'll you be, Mr. Gordon?" asked the man.
"Is there any place about here that's a safe hiding spot for a
few hours?" I asked. "I want to stay till I'm sure those letters
are safe, and after that I'll steal on board the first train that
comes along."
"Then you'll want to be near here," said the man. "I'll tell you,
I've got just the place for you. The platform's boarded in all
round, but I noticed one plank that's loose at one end, right at
this nigh corner, and if you just pry it open enough to get in,
and then pull the board in place, they'll never find you."
"That will do," I said; "and when the letters are safe, come out
on the platform, walk up and down once, bang the door twice, and
then say, 'That way freight is late.' And if you get a chance,
tell one of the Cullens where I'm hidden."
I crossed the platform boldly, jumped down, and walked away. But
after going fifty feet I dropped down on my hands and knees and
crawled back. Inside of two minutes I was safely stowed away
under the platform, in about as neat a hiding-place as a man
could ask. In fact, if I had only had my wits enough about me to
borrow a revolver of the man, I could have made a pretty good
defence, even if discovered.
Underneath the platform was loose gravel, and, as an additional
precaution, I scooped out, close to the side-boarding, a trough
long enough for me to lie in. Then I got into the hole, shovelled
the sand over my legs, and piled the rest up in a heap close to
me, so that by a few sweeps of my arm I could cover my whole
body, leaving only my mouth and nose exposed, and those below the
level. That made me feel pretty safe, for, even if the cowboys
found the loose plank and crawled in, it would take uncommon good
eyesight, in the darkness, to find me. I had hollowed out my
living grave to fit, and if I could have smoked, I should have
been decidedly comfortable. Sleep I dared not indulge in, and the
sequel showed that I was right in not allowing myself that
luxury.
I hadn't much more than comfortably settled myself, and let
thoughts of a cigar and a nap flit through my mind, when a row up
the street showed that the jail-breaking had been discovered.
Then followed shouts and confusion for a few moments, while a
search was being organized. I heard some horsemen ride over the
tracks, and also down the street, followed by the hurried
footsteps of half a dozen men. Some banged at the doors of the
specials, while others knocked at the station door.
One of the Cullens' servants opened the door of 218, and I heard
the sheriff's voice telling him he'd got to search the car. The
darky protested, saying that the "gentmun was all away, and only
de miss inside." The row brought Miss Cullen to the door, and I
heard her ask what was the matter.
"Sorry to trouble yer, miss," said the sheriff, "but a prisoner
has broken jail, and we've got to look for him."
"Escaped!" cried Madge, joyfully. "How?"
"That's just what gits away with me," marvelled the sheriff. "My
idee is--"
"Don't waste time on theories," said Camp's voice, angrily.
"Search the car."
"Sorry to discommode a lady," apologized the sheriff, gallantly,
"but if we may just look around a little?"
"My father and brothers went out a few minutes ago," said Madge,
hesitatingly, "and I don't know if they would be willing."
Camp laughed angrily, and ordered, "Stand aside, there."
"Don't yer worry," said the sheriff. "If he's on the car, he
can't git away. We'll send a feller up for Mr. Cullen, while we
search Mr. Gordon's car and the station."
They set about it at once, and used up ten minutes in the task.
Then I heard Camp say,--
"Come, we can't wait all night for permission to search this car.
Go ahead."
"I hope you'll wait till my father comes," begged Madge.
"Now go slow, Mr. Camp," said the sheriff. "We mustn't discomfort
the lady if we can avoid it."
"I believe you're wasting time in order to help him escape,"
snapped Camp.
"Nothin' of the kind," denied the sheriff.
"If you won't do your duty, I'll take the law into my own hands,
and order the car searched," sputtered Camp, so angry as hardly
to be able to articulate.
"Look a here," growled the sheriff, "who are yer sayin' all this
to anyway? If yer talkin' to me, say so right off."
"All I mean," hastily said Camp, "is that it's your duty, in your
honorable position, to search this car."
"I don't need no instructin' in my dooty as sheriff," retorted
the official. "But a bigger dooty is what is owin' to the
feminine sex. When a female is in question, a gentleman, Mr.
Camp,--yes, sir, a gentleman,--is in dooty bound to be perlite."
"Politeness be ---- ----!" swore Camp.
"Git as angry as yer ---- please," roared the sheriff,
wrathfully, "but ---- me if any ---- ---- cuss has a right to use
such ---- ---- talk in the presence of a lady!"