" Bucky glanced round
warily at the fat colonel gazing placidly out of the barred
window. "I mean to rescue you, and I knew if he were here his
impulsiveness would ruin everything."
"Do you mean it? For God's sake! don't lie to me. If there's no
hope for me, don't say there is." The prisoner's voice shook and
his hands trembled. He was only the husk of the man he had been,
but it did Bucky's heart good to see that the germ of life was
still in him. Back in Arizona, on the Rocking Chair Ranch, with
the free winds of the plains beating on his face, he would pick
up again the old strands of his broken life, would again learn to
love the lowing of cattle and the early morning call of the
hooter to his mate.
"I mean it. As sure as I stand here I'll get you out, or, if I
don't, Webb Mackenzie will. We're calling the matter to the
attention of the United States Government, but we are not going
to wait till that time to free you. Keep up your courage, man. It
is only for a little time now."
Tears leaped to the prisoner's eyes. He had been a game man in
the dead years that were past, none gamer in Texas, and he could
still face his jailers with an impassive face; but this first
kindly word from his native land in fifteen years to the man
buried alive touched the fount of his emotions.
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