We sat there waiting for at least an hour. There was only one lamp in
the place. It was suspended from the center of the room. It began to get
dim and finally flickered out, leaving us in darkness.
“I do not think we did quite right in letting those men out of here,”
observed Willie.
“Somehow I seem to have an idea that Mr. Simpkins will be displeased.”
I said: “Well, they will surely be back. Their honesty seems
unquestioned.”
But they did not return, so we decided to go back to our own room, but
were unable to, as the door was locked from the outside. It must have
been one of those spring locks which lock automatically. It was of no
great concern, as the rooms seem to be very much alike; so we undressed
and went to bed.
I do not know what time of night it was when I awoke. I know it was
very, very dark, but I could sense the presence of human beings. I heard
a voice say, very softly—
“If they make a yelp—bend a gun over their heads.”
I mentally decided not to utter a sound. William Burton Suggs was
snoring, unmindful of it all.
I was tempted to rouse him and convey a warning for silence, but decided
to let him remain as he was. Oftentimes one will cry out on being
aroused, and I knew that Willie would shrink from having a gun bent over
his head.
I still had my gun; but I have no desire to shoot in the dark, so I did
not take it from my pocket. It seemed that the room was full of men,
although I could not see any of them. I heard one of them say:
“Rattle your hocks a little. Don’t take all night to open one little
door.”