Argosy All-Story Weekly, February 18, 1928 — page 86: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

884 And to tell the truth, I wasn’t hanker- ing after the job, knowing what I did about the devil and how I wasn’t so sure on the trigger as I used to be. But I’d done my duty for over twenty years, and I’d keep on doing it as long as I was sheriff—I made ap my mind to that! After we’d got back to town, and I’d taken Sam to my house to get a bite to eat, I remarked how I’d have to take a walk over to the jail and feed Red Garlow be- fore I turned in. Sam said he’d go along with me, cause he was too worked up to sleep anyhow. So we both took our hats and started down the road, I holding a lantern and leading the way, while Sam trailed on be- hind with Red’s grub under his arm. Opening the main door of the hoosegow, I set the lantern on the floor and picked out the key to Red’s cell from the rest of the bunch. Then I whispered to Sam to keep his gun ready in case Red got ob- streperous when I went in. Calling to Red as I put the key in the lock, I never got a peep in return. Think- ing that was awfully funny, I snatches the lantern from the floor and looks inside. And if I was ever flabbergasted in my life, I was then! The cell was as bare as Mother Hub- bard’s cupboard, and the iron bars in the little outside window were sawed out clean! “My God, Sam,” I shouts, gone!” “ Gone!” Sam chokes, springing to the door, his eyes bulging out of his head and his face redder than ever. “ He sure has!” I spouted, never feeling any sorer in my life. “ How do you sup- pose he managed it?” Sam scratched his head. “ve got it! Robbins got to town some- how while we were searching for him in the brush, and after it got dark he got hold of a hack- saw somewheres and passed it into Red. You see the saw’s still laying in the corner of the cell. Red must have cut his way out himself from the inside.” ‘“Sounds—sounds reasonable,” I stam- mers. ‘ Let’s take a look at that saw!” * Red’s ARGOSY-ALLSTORY WEEKLY. Walking into the cell, I picks up the tool. I knew right away where it belonged. I’d seen it many a time in Jim Lawson’s black- smith shop, just down the street. The handle was cracked and bound together with brass wire, so there was no mistaken it was Jim’s. And as Jim never thought of locking up his shop, it didn’t take much figuring to see how Robbins had got hold of it, remember- ing how Jim had been in our posse all the while. For a couple of minutes we stood gawk- ing at each other like a pair of fools. Then Sam came to life. — “Tt looks like you’re in bad, too, shoriff —both of us letting a prisoner escape! ” he growls. ‘‘ Cuss the luck, anyway! But we mustn’t lose a minute of time—I’l] never show up at headquarters until they’re both caught.” “You're right, Sam. We'll have to get on the job mighty quick!” I tried to say cool like, but the words came out high and cracked. It was an awful blow to realize how me and Sam between us had let both of them murdering devils get out of our mitts. It was by far the worst blotch that had ever smeared my official rep in all these years. I’d made myself the laughing-stock of the State. But it wasn’t only my pride that was troubling me. It was also the thoughts of what was likely to happen in my jurisdic- tion with both Garlow and Robbins loose. Like as not, more than one poor fellow would lose his life, chancing to get in their path as they were making their get-away. And I’d be blamed for that. I went ray- ing mad. ‘You and that Robbins started this whole thing!” I shouted to Sam as I hur- ried out of the jail. job and hadn’t let that devil get away, we’d never be in this fix. Red Garlow, or no- body else, could ever got out of my hoose- gow without outside help. But when you let Robbins give you the slip, you gummed the whole works. If I ever get within gun- shot of that dirty crook, he’ll never live to go to court!” “Don’t fly off the handle so, sheriff!” Gomichooks “ Tf you’d been on the © (EO)