he was beginning to like it very much. He tried to act stupid and concerned, moving tentatively as Hogan swiftly followed the corridor toward the stairs leading down to the wardenâs office.
âHurry up!â
âWhere are the guards?â
âAt a meeting: I told you I had a reason for picking this night,â Hogan lied thinly.
Cameron almost laughed out loud. Let him lie, let him complete the ruse. In only a little time he would be free on the desert. Then let Hogan and the others do their best; he would at least have a chance.
They clattered down the adobe steps, their heavy work boots making far too much noise. Still no one else stirred in the prison until they had nearly reached the steel door to the wardenâs office. The figure appeared from out of the shadows. Hogan drew up short, obviously confused and startled.
âIâm going with you boys,â Voonman said in a low voice.
âThe hell you are,â Hogan said bitterly.
âThe hell Iâm not,â Voorman said, and, in his hand, Cameron could make out the long, thin menace of a leather awl. âNo time for arguing now, Hogan.â
âNo,â Hogan agreed haltingly. He knew that Voorman was a killer and believed the man would use the long deadly awl if pushed to it.
âGet the door,â Voorman commanded, and Hogan did so, cursing under his breath. He shot a poisonous glance at Cameron, knowing who had given up the plan to Voorman. Cameron Black cared nothing at all for the threat or Hoganâs frustration. The three men shouldered through the partially locked steel door and made for the window opposite. They quickly dragged the wardenâs desk beneath the high narrow window and in another moment were outside.
It was a matter of minutes before they had scaled the twelve-foot outer wall using the Indian ladder made from a barked pole with a dozen cross pieces secured to it with rawhide. Then, dropping to the sandy earth on the far side, Hogan led them on a weaving run through the tall sage and greasewood to a small clearing where two horses waited in the night, their eyes bright with curiosity and reflected starlight.
âThereâs only two horses,â Hogan said, stating the obvious.
âTheyâll do to get us on our way,â Voorman said. âIâll ride behind you, Hogan.â
âWhy not with Stony?â Hogan said complainingly.
âBecause I say we do it this way,â Voorman said, and Hogan, knowing what the desperate man could do with a thrust of the awl, could only nod with resignation.
Cameron took one of the horses, a roan with a bad coat, while the other men clambered aboard a time-weary bay, an old army horse, Cameron guessed. Neither was in its prime, but why would the escapees be supplied with sturdy mounts? Cameron wished he had Dolly under him. He might even then have made a break for it if he had Harteâs mare, but he did not. He followed docilely. From here on, he knew, every chance at escape had to be attanded to.
There was a small creek here which was the prisonâs water supply. As usual in this part of the country it was lined with willow brush, here and there a clump of cottonwood trees casting shadows against the sand and only now and then a sycamore. They followed the creek northward for half a mile and then Voorman had Hogan halt the bay horse.
âBack toward the south now, I think.â
âWeâre wasting time!â Hogan said peevishly.
âItâs not time wasted if we can confuse them,â Voorman said strongly. âOnce we hit the flats weâre visible for miles and any good horses can run down these pieces of dog meat weâre riding. I donât intend to get caught, do you, Hogan?â
âOf course not,â Hogan said indignantly. He wiped his hand across his face. The moon was beginning to rise too quickly to the west. âI just wanted to put some ground under us before they got
âHurry up!â
âWhere are the guards?â
âAt a meeting: I told you I had a reason for picking this night,â Hogan lied thinly.
Cameron almost laughed out loud. Let him lie, let him complete the ruse. In only a little time he would be free on the desert. Then let Hogan and the others do their best; he would at least have a chance.
They clattered down the adobe steps, their heavy work boots making far too much noise. Still no one else stirred in the prison until they had nearly reached the steel door to the wardenâs office. The figure appeared from out of the shadows. Hogan drew up short, obviously confused and startled.
âIâm going with you boys,â Voonman said in a low voice.
âThe hell you are,â Hogan said bitterly.
âThe hell Iâm not,â Voorman said, and, in his hand, Cameron could make out the long, thin menace of a leather awl. âNo time for arguing now, Hogan.â
âNo,â Hogan agreed haltingly. He knew that Voorman was a killer and believed the man would use the long deadly awl if pushed to it.
âGet the door,â Voorman commanded, and Hogan did so, cursing under his breath. He shot a poisonous glance at Cameron, knowing who had given up the plan to Voorman. Cameron Black cared nothing at all for the threat or Hoganâs frustration. The three men shouldered through the partially locked steel door and made for the window opposite. They quickly dragged the wardenâs desk beneath the high narrow window and in another moment were outside.
It was a matter of minutes before they had scaled the twelve-foot outer wall using the Indian ladder made from a barked pole with a dozen cross pieces secured to it with rawhide. Then, dropping to the sandy earth on the far side, Hogan led them on a weaving run through the tall sage and greasewood to a small clearing where two horses waited in the night, their eyes bright with curiosity and reflected starlight.
âThereâs only two horses,â Hogan said, stating the obvious.
âTheyâll do to get us on our way,â Voorman said. âIâll ride behind you, Hogan.â
âWhy not with Stony?â Hogan said complainingly.
âBecause I say we do it this way,â Voorman said, and Hogan, knowing what the desperate man could do with a thrust of the awl, could only nod with resignation.
Cameron took one of the horses, a roan with a bad coat, while the other men clambered aboard a time-weary bay, an old army horse, Cameron guessed. Neither was in its prime, but why would the escapees be supplied with sturdy mounts? Cameron wished he had Dolly under him. He might even then have made a break for it if he had Harteâs mare, but he did not. He followed docilely. From here on, he knew, every chance at escape had to be attanded to.
There was a small creek here which was the prisonâs water supply. As usual in this part of the country it was lined with willow brush, here and there a clump of cottonwood trees casting shadows against the sand and only now and then a sycamore. They followed the creek northward for half a mile and then Voorman had Hogan halt the bay horse.
âBack toward the south now, I think.â
âWeâre wasting time!â Hogan said peevishly.
âItâs not time wasted if we can confuse them,â Voorman said strongly. âOnce we hit the flats weâre visible for miles and any good horses can run down these pieces of dog meat weâre riding. I donât intend to get caught, do you, Hogan?â
âOf course not,â Hogan said indignantly. He wiped his hand across his face. The moon was beginning to rise too quickly to the west. âI just wanted to put some ground under us before they got
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