Part 27 (2/2)

The depth was too much, he knew, for even his strong bones to stand the shock; and the sentinel paced to and fro underneath with loaded carbine.

”If any one would only lay a feather-bed down there,” thought Jake, ”I'd jump an' take my chance.”

While he was gazing meditatively on the fair prospect of land and water that lay before him, one of the bolts of the door was withdrawn, then another, and the door slowly opened.

For an instant the outlaw gathered himself up for a rush, with a view to sell his life dearly, and he had even begun to draw one of his hands out of the manacles, when the folly and hopelessness of the attempt struck him. He quickly checked himself, and met his jailor (one of the troopers) with a smiling countenance as he entered and laid a loaf and a jug of water on the table.

The rattle of a musket outside told Jake that his jailor had not come alone.

Without a word the man turned, and was leaving the room, when Jake, in a voice of great humility, asked him to stop.

”You couldn't remove these things, could you?” he said, holding out his fettered hands.

”No,” answered the trooper, sharply.

”Ah!” sighed Jake, ”I feared it was agin the rules. You couldn't let me have the use of a file, could you, for a few minutes? What! agin' rules too? It's a pity, for I'm used to brush my teeth with a file of a mornin', an' I like to do it before breakfast.”

Jake interlarded his speech with a variety of oaths, with which we will not defile the paper, but he could extract no further reply from the trooper than a glance of scorn.

Left to himself, Jake again went to the window, which was a small cottage one, opening inwards like a door. He opened it and looked out.

The sentinel instantly raised his carbine and ordered him to shut it.

”Hullo! Silas, is that you?” cried Jake in surprise, but paying no attention to the threat, ”I thought you had quit for Heaven durin' the last skrimidge wi' the Reds down in Kansas? Glad to see you lookin' so well. How's your wife an' the child'n, Silas?”

”Come now, Jake,” said the trooper sternly, ”you know it's all up with you, so you needn't go talkin' bosh like that--more need to say your prayers. Stand back and shut the window, I say, else I'll put a bullet through your gizzard.”

”Well now, Silas,” said Jake, remonstratively, and opening the breast of his red s.h.i.+rt as he spoke, ”I didn't expect that of an old friend like you--indeed I didn't. But, see here, if you raaly are goin' to fire take good aim an' keep clear o' the heart and liver. The gizzard lies hereabout (pointing to his breast) and easy to hit if you've a steady hand. I know the exact spot, for I've had the cuttin' up of a good bunch o' men in my day, an' I can't bear to see a thing muddled. But hold on, Silas, I won't put ye to the pain o' shootin' me. I'll shut the window if you'll make me a promise.”

”What's that?” demanded the trooper, still covering the outlaw, however, with his carbine.

”You know I'm goin' to my doom--that's what poetical folk call it, Silas--an' I want you to help me wind up my affairs, as the lawyers say.

Well, this here (holding up a coin) is my last dollar, the remains o'

my fortin', Silas, an' this here bit o' paper that I'm rappin' round it, is my last will an' testimonial. You'll not refuse to give it to my only friend on arth, Hunky Ben, for I've no wife or chick to weep o'er my grave, even though they knew where it was. You'll do this for me, Silas, won't you?”

”All right--pitch it down.”

Jake threw the coin, which fell on the ground a few feet in front of the trooper, who stooped to pick it up.

With one agile bound the outlaw leaped from the window and descended on the trooper's back, which was broken by the cras.h.i.+ng blow, and Jake rolled over him with considerable violence, but the poor man's body had proved a sufficient buffer, and Jake rose unhurt. Deliberately taking the carbine from the dead man's hand, and plucking the revolver from his belt, he sauntered off in the direction of the stables. These being too small to contain all the troop-horses, some of the animals were picketed in an open shed, and several troopers were rubbing them down. The men took Jake for one of the cow-boys of the ranch, for he pa.s.sed them whistling.

Entering the stable he glanced quickly round, selected the finest horse, and, loosing its halter from the stall, turned the animal's head to the door.

”What are ye doin' wi' the captain's horse?” demanded a trooper, who chanced to be in the neighbouring stall.

”The captain wants it. Hold his head till I get on him. He's frisky,”

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