“I dare not,” he whimpered; “Red Bill will kill me if I give away the place of rendezvous. We are under a terrible oath not to reveal it.”
“You need not fear Red Bill,” answered Captain Huffman, in ominous tones, “for I am going to hang you. Boys, bring the rope.”
“Mercy! Mercy!” gasped the shivering wretch.
“Then lead us to the place where you left Red Bill, and that quickly.”
“My wound,” he whined, pointing to his leg.
“Bind up his leg,” said Huffman to one of his men.
The wound was rudely dressed, and then Evans was placed on a horse in front of a sturdy trooper.
“Now take us to the place where you left Red Bill, by the shortest and quickest route; you say it is three miles. If we don’t reach it in half an hour, I will hang you like a dog. And,” continued Huffman, to the trooper in front of whom Evans [pg 101]was riding, “blow out his brains at the first sign of treachery.”
For answer the trooper touched his revolver significantly.
After riding swiftly for about two miles, Evans bade them turn into a path which led into the woods. The way became rough and rocky, and their progress was necessarily slower. Evans was in mortal terror lest the half-hour would be up before they could reach the place.