encouragement. Keith lifted himself to the grated window, getting a
glimpse of the world without, but finding the iron immovable, the screws
solidly imbedded in the outside wood. He dropped to the floor, feeling
baffled and discouraged.

"It will have to be the plank back of the bench, Neb," he announced
briefly, wiping the perspiration from his face. "Get down there, and work
it as loose as you can without making any noise, while I keep my ear to
the door and listen for any interruption."

They took turns at this labor, discovering a loose nail which gave an
opening purchase at the crack, thus enabling the insertion of a small
wooden block, and insuring space for a good finger grip when the right
time came. A sleepy Mexican brought in their dinner, and set it down on
the bench without a word, but on his return with supper, the marshal
accompanied him, and remained while they ate, talking to Keith, and
staring about the room. Fortunately, the single window was to the west,
and the last rays of the sun struck the opposite wall, leaving the space
behind the bench in deep shadow. Whatever might be the plans of "Black
Bart" and his cronies, Keith was soon convinced they were unknown to
Hicks, who had evidently been deceived into thinking that this last arrest
had created no excitement.

"That's why we picked yer up so early," he explained, genially. "Bart said
if we got to yer afore the boys woke up they'd never hear nuthin' 'bout
it, an' so thar wouldn't be no row. He didn't even think thar'd be enny
need o' keepin' a special guard ter-night, but I reckon I won't take no
such chance as that, an' I'll have a couple o' deputies prowlin' 'round
fer luck. When Carson does wake up, she's hell."