The words were cut short by the reappearance of the sentry. He came close to the corner, and wheeled, to return. A lithe black shape leaped like a huge cat, and landed heavily on the sentry’s shoulders, bringing a pained grunt from him. The grunt died in a gurgle as iron fingers closed on his throat; he was jammed, face down, into the dust and held there, smothering, until his body slacked and his muscles ceased rippling. Then a handkerchief was slipped around his mouth and drawn tightly. He was rolled over, still unconscious, his hands tied behind him. Then he was borne away into the darkness by the big man, who carried him as though he were a child.
“Locked in a box-car,” whispered the big man, returning: “They’ll get him; they’re half unloaded.”
Without further words they returned to the shadow of the building.
Judge Lindman had not been able to sleep until long after his usual hour for retiring. The noise, and certain thoughts, troubled him. It was after midnight when he finally sought his cot, and he was in a heavy doze until shortly after two, when a breath of air, chilled by its clean sweep over the plains, searched him out and brought him up, sitting on the edge of the cot, shivering.
The rear door of the courthouse was open. In front of the iron safe at the rear of the room he saw a man, faintly but unmistakably outlined in the cross light from two windows. He was about to cry out when his throat was seized from behind and he was borne back on the cot resistlessly. Held thus, a voice which made him strain his eyes in an effort to see the owner’s face, hissed in his ear:
“I don’t want to kill you, but I’ll do it if you cry out! I mean business! Do you promise not to betray us?”
The Judge wagged his head weakly, and the grip on his throat relaxed. He sat up, aware that the fingers were ready to grip his throat again, for he could feel the big shape lingering beside him.
“This is an outrage!” he gasped, shuddering. “I know you—you are Trevison. I shall have you punished for this.”
The other laughed lowly and vibrantly. “That’s your affair—if you dare! You say a word about this visit and I’ll feed your scoundrelly old carcass to the coyotes! Justice is abroad tonight and it won’t be balked. I’m after that original land record—and I’m going to have it. You know where it is—you’ve got it. Your face told me that the other day. You’re only half-heartedly in this steal. Be a man—give me the record—and I’ll stand by you until hell freezes over! Quick! Is it in the safe?”
The Judge wavered in agonized indecision. But thoughts of Corrigan’s wrath finally conquered.