CHAPTER XIV—IN WHICH HICKS COMES TO HIS REST
HE stood a moment with his hands against the closed door behind him, listening to Coglan's heavy breathing. Then he crossed noiselessly to the table, took the lamp and went through to the inner room.
There were two cot beds in it. Shays lay asleep on one in all his clothes, except his shoes. The other bed was broken down, a wreck on the floor. Evidently Coglan had been using it, and it was not built for slumberers of his weight, so he had gone back to the hides that had often furnished him with a bed before.
Shays turned his face away from the light and raised one limp hand in half-conscious protest. He opened his eyes and blinked stupidly. Then he sat up.
“Don't make a noise, Jimmy,” said Allen. “I'm going pretty soon.”
“G-goin'—wha' for?” stammered Shays. “Wha's that for?”
“I've broke jail. I'm going to change clothes and shave, then I'll light out. You won't see me again, Jimmy.”
He sat down on the side of the bed and rocked to and fro, twisting his fingers.
“You're decent, Jimmy. When they get to posting notices and rewards, you see, you don't do a thing. Nor you don't wake Coglan. He's a damn hound. See?”