he plank back of the bench, Neb," he announced
briefly, wiping the perspiration from his face. "Get down there, and
work it as loose as you can without making any noise, while I keep my
ear to the door and listen for any interruption."

They took turns at this labor, discovering a loose nail which gave an
opening purchase at the crack, thus enabling the insertion of a small
wooden block, and insuring space for a good finger grip when the right
time came. A sleepy Mexican brought in their dinner, and set it down
on the bench without a word, but on his return with supper, the marshal
accompanied him, and remained while they ate, talking to Keith, and
staring about the room. Fortunately, the single window was to the west,
and the last rays of the sun struck the opposite wall, leaving the space
behind the bench in deep shadow. Whatever might be the plans of "Black
Bart" and his cronies, Keith was soon convinced they were unknown to
Hicks, who had evidently been deceived into thinking that this last
arrest had created no excitement.

"That's why we picked yer up so early," he explained, genially. "Bart
said if we got to yer afore the boys woke up they'd never hear nuthin'
'bout it, an' so thar wouldn't be no row. He didn't even think thar'd
be enny need o' keepin' a special guard ter-night, but I reckon I won't
take no such chance as that, an' I'll have a couple o' deputies prowlin'
'round fer luck. When Carson does wake up, she's hell."

He left them tobacco and pipes, and went away evidently convinced that
he had performed his full duty. The two prisoners, puffing smoke-rings
into the air, heard the heavy clang of the iron bar falling into place
across the door, and sat looking into one another's faces through the
deepening twilight. In the mind of both blaik and white reposed the same
thought. The negro was first to break the silence.

"'Pears ter me, Massa Jack, like dis yere Bart pusson am mighty anxious
ter hab no suspicions raised."

"Anybody but Hicks would see that," acknowledged the other, the rings
of smoke circling his head, "but he hasn't any brains. It was pure nerve
that got him the job. Well, this is one time that 'Bart pusson' is going
to find an empty coop. We'll get out, Neb, just as soon as it gets dark
enough. Hicks isn't likely to put on his extra guard for an hour
yet, and the 'Red Light' bunch won't be fit for business much before
midnight. By that time we'll be in the sand hills, heading south, a