In a few minutes the sound of voices coming from the adjoining room told me that they had gone in to pay Tom a visit.
I had been very sleepy previous to my interview with my fellow-prisoner, but that had worn off now, although I was as hungry as ever. I did ample justice to the bountiful dinner with which Barney had provided me, and when he came in after the lantern, I had emptied the plate, and lay stretched out on the blankets, which I had spread upon the floor.
The leader of the Dragoons showed a disposition to linger and enter into conversation—a proceeding to which I was strongly opposed. I was impatient to be rid of his presence, in order that I might see Tom Mason again, and, as I gave only short, crusty answers to his questions, and pretended to be very sleepy, Barney finally gave it up in disgust, and took his leave.
The sound of his footsteps had scarcely died away on the stairs, when the board which concealed the opening in the wall was cautiously pushed aside, and Tom once more appeared, his jaws working rapidly, and his hands filled with corn-bread and bacon.
I looked at him closely, and could easily see that something had made a great change in him. The impudent, defiant expression his face usually wore had disappeared, and he looked melancholy and down-hearted, as though he had lost the last friend he had in the world.
He did not wait for me to speak, but began the conversation himself.
“When Barney came up I was relating how I obtained possession of the money, wasn’t I?” said he. "I told you that I crossed the bayou with it without being seen by either my uncle or Mr. Lamar. I was seen by somebody else, however, and by the very one, of all others, I had the most reason to fear; for as I sat looking at the valise, after I had pushed my canoe out of sight among the bushes, and wondering what I should do with it now that I had got it, I happened to raise my eyes, and, to my utter amazement, discovered a skiff not more than ten feet from me. In the skiff was Luke Redman, who stood leaning on his gun, and looking at me with an exultant smile on his face.
"I was certain that he had been watching me, that he had seen me take the money, and the very first words he uttered confirmed the suspicion.
"‘Wal, my young chap, I’ve ketched you,’ said he—‘ketched you in the very act, too. This will be a nice story for me to tell in the settlement, won’t it?’
"When I heard this last remark, I for the first time began to realize what I had done. It flashed upon me in an instant that my plan for ruining Jerry Lamar was likely to ruin me, also.