THE ESCAPE
About midnight Corliss and his foreman were awakened by a cry of
"Fire!" They scrambled from bed and pawed around in the dark for their
clothes.
"Spontinuous conibustication," said Shoop, with a yawn. "A Jew
clothin'-store and a insurance-policy. Wonder who's ablaze?"
"I can see from here," said Corliss at the window. "Keep on dressing,
Bud, it's the sheriff's office!"
"Sundown!" Shoop exclaimed, dancing about inelegantly with one foot
halfway down his pants-leg.
They tramped down the stairs and ran across to the blazing building. A
group of half-dressed citizens were passing buckets and dashing their
final and ineffectual contents against the spouting flames.
"He's sure done on both sides if he's in there," remarked Shoop. He
ran around to the back of the jail and called loudly on Sundown.
Jumping, he caught the high wooden bars of the window and peered into
the rear room. A rivulet of flame crept along the door that led from
the jail to the office. The room seemed to be empty. Shoop dropped to
the ground and strolled around to the front. "Tryin' to save the
buildin' or the prisoner?" he asked of a sweating bucket-passer.
The man paused for a second, slopping water on his boots and gazing
about excitedly. "Hey, boys!" he shouted. "Get an axe and chop open
the back! The long gent is roastin' to death in there!"
"And I reckon that'll keep 'em busy while Sun fans it," soliloquized
Shoop. "Hello, Jack!" And he beckoned to Corliss. "He ain't in
there," he whispered, "But how he got out, gets me!"
"We might as well go back to bed," said Corliss. "They'll get him,
anyway. There's one of Jim's deputies on a cayuse now."
"Where do you reckon he'll head for?"
"Don't know, Bud. If he heads for the water-hole, they'll get him in
no time."
"Think he set her on fire?"
"Maybe he dropped a cigarette. I don't think he'd risk it, on purpose."
Shoop glanced at his watch, tilting it toward the light of the flames.
"It's just one. Hello! There comes the agent. Reckon he thought the
station was afire."
"Guess not. He's lighting up. Must be a special going to stop."
"He's sure set the red. Say, I'm goin' over to see. Wait a minute."
Shoop followed the agent into the station. Presently the foreman
reappeared and beckoned to Corliss. "Listen, Jack! Reddy says he's
got some runnin' orders for the Flyer and she's got to stop to get 'em.
That means we can eat breakfast in Usher, 'stead of here. No tellin'
who'll be on the six-forty headed for the same place, tomorrow mornin'."
Corliss pondered. His plan of homesteading the water-hole ranch had
been upset by the arrest of Sundown. Still, that was no reason for
giving up the plan. From Shoop's talk with Kennedy, the lawyer, it was
evident that Loring had his eye on the deserted ranch.
Far down the track he saw a glimmering dot of fire and heard the faint
muffled whistle of the Flyer. "All right, Bud. I'll get the tickets.
Get our coats. We can just make it."
When they stepped from the Flyer at Usher, the faint light of dawn was
edging the eastern hills. A baggage-truck rumbled past and they heard
some one shout, "Get out o' that!" In the dim light they saw a figure
crawl from beneath the baggage-car and dash across the station platform
to be swallowed up in the shadowy gloom of a side street.
"I only had seven drinks," said Shoop, gazing after the disappearing
figure. "But if Sundown ain't a pair of twins, that was him."
"Hold on, Bud!" And Corliss laid his hand on Shoop's arm. "Don't take
after him. That's the way to stampede him. We go easy till it's
light. He'll see us."
They sauntered up the street and stopped opposite an "all-night"
eating-house.
"We won't advertise the Concho, this trip," said Corliss, as they
entered.
Shoop, with his legs curled around the counter stool, sipped his coffee
and soliloquized. "Wise old head! Never was a hotel built that was
too good for Jack when he's travelin'. And he don't do his thinkin'
with his feet, either."
The waiter, who had retired to the semi-seclusion of the kitchen, dozed
in a chair tilted back against the wall. He was awakened by a voice at
the rear door. Shoop straightened up and grinned at Corliss. The
waiter vocalized his attitude with the brief assertion that there was
"nothin' doin'."
"It's him!" said Shoop.
"I got the price," came from the unseen.
"Then you beat it around to the front," suggested the waiter.
Shoop called for another cup of coffee. As the waiter brought it,
Sundown, hatless, begrimed, and showing the effects of an unupholstered
journey, appeared in the doorway. Shoop turned and stood up.
"Well, if it ain't me old pal Buddy!" exclaimed Sundown. "What you
doin' in this here burg?"
"Why, hello, Hawkins! Where'd you fall from? How's things over to
Homer?"
Sundown took the hint and fabricated a heart-rending tale of an
all-night ride on "a cayuse that had been tryin' to get rid of him ever
since he started and had finally piled him as the Flyer tooted for
Usher."
"You do look kind o' shook-up. Better eat."
"I sure got room," said Sundown. "Fetch me a basket of doughnuts and a
pail of coffee. That there Fly--cayuse sure left me, but he didn't
take me appetite."
After the third cup of coffee and the seventh doughnut, Sundown
asserted that he felt better. They sauntered out to the street.
"How in blazes did you get loose?" queried Shoop, surveying the unkempt
adventurer with frank amazement.
"Blazes is correct. I clumb out of the window."
"Set her on fire?"
"Not with mellishus extent, as the judge says. Mebby it was a
cigarette. I dunno. First thing I know I was dreamin' I smelt smoke
and the dream sure come true. If them bars had been a leetle closter
together, I reckon I would be tunin' a harp, right now."
"How did you happen to jump our train--and get off here?" asked Corliss.
"It was sure lucky," said Sundown, grinning. "I run 'round back of the
station and snook up and crawled under the platform in front. I could
see everybody hoppin' 'round and I figured I was safer on the job,
expectin' they'd be lookin' for me to beat it out of town. Then you
fellas come up and stood talkin' right over me head. Bud he says
somethin' about eatin' breakfast in Usher, and bein' hungry and likin'
good comp'ny, I waits till the train pulls up and crawls under the
baggage. And here I be."
"We'll have to get you a hat and a coat. We'll stop at the next
barber-shop. You wash up and get shaved. We'll wait. Then we'll head
for the court-house."
"Me ranch?" And Sundown beamed through his grime. "Makes me feel like
writin' a pome! Now, mebby--"
"Haven't time, now. Got to scare up two more witnesses to go on your
paper. There's a place, just opening up."
They crossed the street. Next to the barbershop was a saloon.
Sundown eyed the sign pensively. "I ain't a drinkin' man--regular," he
said, "but there are times . . ."
"There are times," echoed Corliss, and the three filed between the
swing-doors and disappeared.
An hour later three men, evidently cow-men from their gait and bearing,
passed along the main street of Usher and entered the court-house,
where they were met by two citizens. The five men were admitted to the
inner sanctum of the hall of justice, from which they presently
emerged, laughing and joking. The tallest of them seemed to be
receiving the humorous congratulations of his companions. He shook
hands all around and remarked half-apologetically: "I ain't a drinkin'
man, reg'lar . . . but there are times . . ."
The five men drifted easily toward the swing-doors. Presently they
emerged. Shoop nudged his employer. David Loring and his daughter had
just crossed the street. The old sheep-man glanced at the group in
front of the saloon and blinked hard. Of the West, he read at a glance
the situation. Sundown, Corliss, and Shoop raised their hats as
Eleanor Loring bowed.
"Beat him by a neck!" said Shoop. "Guess we better fan it, eh, Jack?"
"There's no hurry," said Corliss easily. Nevertheless, he realized
that Sundown's presence in Usher was quite apt to be followed by a wire
from the sheriff of Antelope which would complicate matters, to say the
least. He shook hands with the two townsmen and assured them that the
hospitality of the Concho was theirs when they chose to honor it. Then
he turned to Bud Shoop. "Get the fastest saddle-horse in town and ride
out to the South road and wait for us. I'm going to send Sundown over
to Murphy's. Pat knows me pretty well. From there he can take the
Apache road to the Concho. We can outfit him and get him settled at
the water-hole ranch before any one finds out where he is."
"But Jim'll get him again," said Shoop.
"I expect him to. That'll be all right."
"Well, you got me. Thought I knowed somethin' about your style, but I
don't even know your name."
"Let's move on. You go ahead and get the cayuse. I want to talk to
Sundown."
Then Corliss explained his plan. He told Sundown to keep the
water-hole fenced and so keep the sheep-men from using it. This would
virtually control several thousand acres of range around the water-hole
ranch. He told Sundown that he expected him to homestead the ranch for
himself--do the necessary work to secure a title, and then at his
option either continue as a rancher or sell the holding to the Concho.
"I'll start you with some stock--a few head, and a horse or two. All
you have to do is to 'tend to business and forget that I have ever
spoken to you about homesteading the place. You'll have to play it
alone after you get started."
"Suits me, boss. I ain't what you'd call a farmer, but me and Chance
can scratch around and act like we was. But the smooth gent as pinched
me--ain't he goin' to come again?"
"Sure as you're wearing spurs! But you just take it easy and you'll
come out all right. Loring put Jim Banks after you. Jim is all right
and he's business. Loring wants the water-hole ranch. So do I. Now,
if Loring tells the sheriff he saw you in Usher, and later at the
water-hole, Jim will begin to think that Loring is keeping pretty close
trail on you. When Jim finds out you've filed on the water-hole,--and
he already knows that Loring wants it,--he'll begin to figure that
Loring had you jailed to keep you out of his way. And you can take it
from me, Jim Banks is the squarest man in Apache County. He'll give
you a chance to make good. If we can keep you out of sight till he
hears from over the line, I think you'll be safe after that. If we
can't, why, you still have your title to the water-hole ranch and that
holds it against trespassers."
"Well, you're sure some shark on the long think! Say, I been scared
stiff so long I'm just commencin' to feel me legs again. The sun is
shinin' and the birds are sawin' wood. I get you, boss! The old guy
that owns the wool had me pinched. Well, I ain't got nothin' ag'in'
him, but that don't say I ain't workin' for you. Say, if he comes
botherin' around me farm, do I shoot?"
"No. You just keep right on. Pay no attention to him."
"Just sick Chance on him, eh?"
"He'd get Chance. I'm going to run some cattle over that way soon.
Then you'll have company. You needn't be scared."
"Cattle is some comp'ny at that. Say, have I got to ride that there
bronc Bud jest went down the street on?"
"As soon as we get out of town."
"Which wouldn't be long if we had hosses like him, eh?"
"I'll give you a note to Murphy. He'll send your horse back to Usher
and let you take a fresh horse when you start for the Concho. Take it
easy, and don't talk."
"All right, boss. But I was thinkin'--"
"What?"
"Well, it's men like me and you that puts things through. It takes a
man with sand to go around this country gettin' pinched and thrun and
burnt up and bein' arrested every time he goes to spit. Folks'll be
sayin' that there Sundown gent is a brave man--me! Never shot nobody
and dependin' on his nerve, every time. They's nothin' like havin' a
bad repetation."
"Nothing like it," assented Corliss, smiling. "Well, here's your road.
Keep straight on till you cross the river. Then take the right fork
and stick to it, and you'll ride right into Murphy's. He'll fix you
up, all right."
"Did you think in this note to tell him to give me a hoss that only
travels one way to onct?" queried Sundown.
Corliss laughed. "Yes, I told him. Don't forget you're a citizen and
a homesteader. We're depending on you."
"You bet! And I'll be there with the bells!"
Shoop and Corliss watched Sundown top a distant rise and disappear in a
cloud of dust. Then they walked back to the station. As they waited
for the local, Shoop rolled a cigarette. "Jest statin' it mild and
gentle," he said, yawning, "the last couple of weeks has been kind of a
busy day. Guess the fun's all over. Sundown's got a flyin' start;
Loring's played his ace and lost, and you and me is plumb sober. If
I'd knowed it was goin' to be as quiet as this, I'd 'a' brought my
knittin' along."
"There are times . . ." said Corliss.
"And we got just five minutes," said Shoop. "Come on."