Long dropped to the floor, and Rathburn raised him and carried him to a door leading into the jail proper. As he drew open the door, he drew his gun and threw it down on the astonished jailer who was dozing in the little office outside the bars.
“Open up!” Rathburn commanded.
The jailer hastened to obey, as he saw the appearance of Rathburn’s face and the dangerous look in his eyes.
Rathburn compelled him at the point of his gun to lead the way to a cell in the rear, unlock it, and go inside. Rathburn pushed Long, who was regaining his senses, in after him and took the jailer’s keys.
“Tell Long I’m thinkin’ over what he told me,” he said to the jailer, as he locked them in.
Then he hurried back to the entrance, locked it, and tossed the keys in through the bars.
He wet his handkerchief with ice water from a tank in Long’s office, wiped his face clean, and left the building.