Automobile horns screamed out upon
the night. The two heard the chugging of motors, the
sound of brakes and the greetings of new arrivals. The
reinforcements had arrived from Oakdale.
A guard came to the grating of the cell door. "The
bunch from Oakdale has come," he said. "If I was you
I'd say my prayers. Old man Baggs is dead. No one
never had no use for him while he was alive, but the
whole county's het up now over his death. They're
bound to get you, an' while I didn't count 'em all I
seen about a score o' ropes. They mean business."
Bridge turned toward the boy. "Tell the truth," he
said. "Tell this man."
The youth shook his head. "I have killed no one," said
he. "That is the truth. Neither have you; but if they
are going to murder you they can murder me too, for
you stuck to me when you didn't have to; and I am go-
ing to stick to you, and there is some excuse for me be-
cause I have a reason--the best reason in the world."
"What is it?" asked Bridge.
The Oskaloosa Kid shook his head, and once more he
flushed.
"Well," said the guard, with a shrug of his shoulders,
"it's up to you guys. If you want to hang, why hang and
be damned. We'll do the best we can 'cause it's our duty
to protect you; but I guess at that hangin's too good fer
you, an' we ain't a-goin' to get shot keepin' you from get-
tin' it.
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