Savage Range by Luke; Short Page A

for the crew, they would vanish into the hills, leaving only Jim Wade, their foreman, to answer for them.
    It was neat, merciless, complete.
    Jim tried to look ahead. The chances were that when he was discovered in the jail, a lynch mob would form. And the length of his life after that depended on how ably those five men defended the jail.
    And why should they defend it with their lives, knowing he was doomed, anyway?
    He got up from the cot and started an examination of his cell. The jail was old, of adobe some three feet thick, with the five bars at the window sunk deep in the wall. Not an impossible jail to break out of in ordinary times, but impossible now, with five men quietly listening in the next room.
    He was examining the ceiling when he heard a voice at the window.
    â€œJim Wade!” it whispered. “Jim Wade!”
    Jim moved his cot over below the high window and stood on it. This brought his head level with the window, which was screened with heavy wire.
    He looked into the slim, sad face of Lily Beauchamp.
    â€œLily!”
    â€œDid they hurt you, Jim?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œOh, Jim, Ben told me about it! He knows you didn’t do it because he was with you! What will happen?”
    Jim whispered quietly, “Why, they’ll either lynch or hang me if I don’t get out of here.”
    â€œCan you?”
    â€œIt don’t look like it,” Jim confessed.
    â€œBut you’ve got to! And you’ve got to do it right away! The whole town is deserted, looking for you. But when word gets out you’re captured, they’ll come back and mob up!”
    â€œUnh-hunh.”
    â€œCan you break out?”
    â€œI’ll try.”
    â€œDo you need tools?”
    Jim smiled meagerly. “You’d have to cut the screen to get ’em to me and the racket would bring them in here.”
    Lily was silent a long while, and Jim was suddenly aware that she was sobbing.
    â€œLily, what’s the matter?”
    â€œI hate it! I hate it!” she whispered passionately.
    Jim’s face reflected surprise in that half-light.
    Lily looked up at him and said, “Oh, I know it’s strange, Jim, but can’t you understand a girl? You—you’re the first man who’s ever treated me kindly, who hasn’t asked for things I would never give. You’re kind and—and you’ve done something for Ben. You’ve given me hope and—”
    â€œYou’re excited, Lily,” Jim said gravely. “Any man who wasn’t blind could see how decent you are. If—well, if I don’t come through this, don’t get bitter and hard about it, girl. Watch Ben and make somethin’ out of him. He’s got the stuff.”
    â€œJim,” Lily whispered. “I love you. Is that—is that queer?”
    Jim didn’t answer.
    â€œI’ve only seen you ten minutes in my whole life, but you’ve never been out of my mind since that night. Never!” She looked up and smiled. “I just wanted you to know. It doesn’t make any difference to you, I know, because you don’t love me. Only—only—good-by. And I’ll get you out! I will , Jim!”
    And she was gone. Jim stood there, looking out into the night, letting Lily Beauchamp’s words sink into his mind. He felt small and humble before this girl, who had been honest enough to pour out her heart to him. Suddenly he gripped the bars until his knuckles were white. What the hell kind of a world was it that would beat and cow a girl like Lily into being so grateful for one decent act a man did for her? Cow her until she was so grateful for this act that she mistook her gratitude for love. For Jim Wade did not think for one instant that Lily Beauchamp loved him. It was gratitude, gratitude for a kindness that any white man would have been glad to do.
    He stood there watching the night. The dark form of a freight wagon on the street was the only thing he could