The Long Dim TrailHooker, Forrestine C. (Forrestine Cooper)
General
The Long Dim Trail
Hooker, Forrestine C. (Forrestine Cooper)
Arizona -- Fiction; Cowboys -- Fiction; Ranch life -- Fiction; Western stories
The matter was ended by Juan hurrying from the room before she could
protest further. Each time during the following days when Katherine
broached the subject, Juan evaded the issue by having important work,
and Katherine unable to do otherwise, let their lives settle in a
routine that promised to stretch into years.
She made one more trip to Tombstone after the sentence had been passed.
Glendon instructed her about circulating the petition, but bade her wait
until four or five months after he had begun serving his term. She left
him in his cell, carrying with her an undefinable impression of a man
whom she did not know; for already she sensed a subtle change.
The day before the convicted men were to be transported to the
penitentiary, Glendon lay on his bunk in his cell, wondering whether his
plans would fail or succeed. He was playing for high stakes; to lose
meant forfeiting his life.
Panchita had called at the jail several times since the trial,
ostensibly to sell tamales to the prisoners and their guards. In no way
had the Mexican girl been identified with the train-robbers, so her
actions created no suspicion. She managed to let Glendon understand that
she was ready to co-operate in any plans he might make.
He had given up his original idea of hoping to win a pardon, which if
obtained, would only mean being financially penniless, and branded as a
felon. The more he thought of the alternative, the more alluring it
became.
Panchita had told him that the money from the first train hold-up, was
safely sewn in a bustle made of newspapers which she wore constantly.
She had whispered this while he pretended to joke and dicker for
tamales. Tonight, there would be little steel saw-blades in the tamales
she was to bring for his supper. In order to disarm any suspicion, she
had laughingly promised to bring tamales for all of them, because they
were going on their long journey the next morning. The warden had given
consent, especially as she had promised double allowance for him so that
he could take them home to his wife.
Glendon knew that once he possessed those tiny saws, he could cut the
bars of his cell before morning. Panchita would be waiting with a pony,
and later she would follow to Mexico where they would meet. He had no
fear of her failing him, knowing her insane jealousy of his wife.
He rose and paced the floor nervously, as the afternoon waned. Five
o'clock passed--half-past five--then the clock in the sheriff's room
struck six. The jailer passed the barred door.
"Say," called Glendon, "hasn't that tamale girl been around yet? She
promised to give us all a tamale supper tonight, you know. Celebrating
our journey."
"She's dead," answered the jailer, stopping at the door. "The place
where she was staying caught fire last night. It was a frame shack, and
the rest all got out except her. She wasn't burnt but smothered in the
smoke."
"That's tough luck," said Glendon, trying to appear careless. "Was it
much of a fire?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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