body against his knee proceeded to wrap
his blue cotton bandana around my eyes. This being accomplished to his
satisfaction, the two of them loosened my ankles and raised me to one of
the saddles, leaving my hands fast bound, and passing straps around my
legs. Then Dawson mounted behind me, holding me in place, for I found
myself reeling feebly and in danger of collapse. The other man led the
horse that carried the double burden and we started on a journey of
which I have no clear remembrance, since from time to time I drifted
into a condition bordering on unconsciousness.

It was full daylight but still very early when they took me from the
saddle, and of course I had no idea of the road by which we had come or
the country through which we had passed. The blindfold was not removed
until we had entered a house and I had been helped up a steep stairway
and laid on a bare, corn-shuck mattress. Then I was allowed to look on
the bare walls of a loft-like room. The mattress was stretched on the
floor; a tin basin surmounted a box. Otherwise there were no furnishings
of any sort. Dawson was grinning down on me with a stone jug supported
in the crotch of his right elbow and a tin cup in his left hand.

"Say when, stranger," he invited as he began to pour the white whiskey.
"This here is your domicile fer ther present time. Yer victuals will be
along presently." At the door he paused and looked back. "Ef yer needs
anything," he added, "kick like hell on the flo'. They ain't nobody
here that minds a little noise. The latch string hangs outside, but yer
kin see fer yerself there ain't none on this side the do'."

I was for an hour satisfied to lie quietly on the mattress and rest and
after they had brought me a meal of cold bread, greasy bacon and coffee,
I continued inactive except for thinking. The trial was two days off and
the least hardship I need expect would be imprisonment until it was
over. After that I was at a loss to forecast their designs. Even then I
could not be set free to tell my story, but I felt sure that nothing
would be done until the arch-conspirator and dictator, Jim Garvin
himself, had been consulted and had issued his imperial decree.

Shortly before noon I heard footsteps on the stairs, and since one set
of feet came with the creaking caution of a person who did not wish to
be heard, I feigned sleep and breathed with a deep regularity that was
almost a snore. The door opened and Dawson entered. By thi