working.
And looking around, Manring said.
Go on.
You're still thinking about it'aafter what Renda said?
Frank makes you want to get out all the more.
I've got to be sure of you, Manring said.
As sure as I am of you?
Manring's eyes narrowed. What's that supposed to mean?
You think about it a while.
Look, Manring said. I don't have to include you. If you're going to start accusing me again we'll forget about it. I'll get somebody else.
Earl, the only reason you're asking anybody is because getting out of here is something you can't do alone. I'm not sure yet why you're picking me. Maybe because you thought I was easy to manage before. Whatever the reason, it's something that'll do you the most good.
Manring shrugged. Forget about it then.
I can, Earl, but you can't. I just told you why.
You're pretty sure of yourself.
Bowen started to turn away.
Wait a minute Manring's hand came out to take his arm. Listen, there's no sense in arguing over it. Let's get down to cases'ayou either want to go or you don't. Which is it?
I haven't heard any plan yet, Bowen said.
That'll come.
It'll come right now, or I don't.
I'll tell you part of it, Manring paused. Then, his voice was lower as he said, You know what happens at the end of the canyon.
We climb, Bowen said.
That's right. Have you figured how we're going to cut a road up through the rocks?
It isn't my problem.
It wasn't mine either, Manring said, till I was taken on Renda's survey party. That was over a month ago'awhen we planned this swing through the canyon. We got up to the end and he says, 'yHow in hell we going to get out of here?' Right then is when the idea came. I said to him, 'yWhat're you worrying about those big rocks for when you got a gang of Yuma boys on your payroll?' He stopped to listen and I told him how at Yuma we cut whole cell blocks out of granite and shaped them just right. He thought about it and then says, 'yYou're making work for yourself, aren't you?' That's when I told him. I said, 'yWell, it's not so bad if you got dynamite.'
So he's going to use it? Bowen prompted.
It's already ordered, Manring said. Should be here by next week.
Earl, are you going to tell me you talked him into using dynamite?
I put the idea in his head. You can call it whatever you want.
You think, Bowen said, he would've plotted down that canyon without planning on dynamite?
Renda don't know anything about road building!
Bowen paused. Let me ask you something else, Earl. Do you know how to use dynamite?
I saw enough of it at Yuma.
That's right, you saw it'abut there's only one man here you're sure ever worked with it. That's where I figure in. You've got the plan, but you need me to set it off.
You're taking on a lot of credit all of a sudden, Manring muttered. Next you'll tell me you were planning on it all the time.
No, Bowen admitted. I never thought of breaking out of here as being worth blowing somebody up.
Well, think about it now, Manring said quietly. Think about this afternoon, the way that gunhand busted Chick Miller'athink about them watching you, looking for the littlest excuse to bust you'aand let me know what you come to.
That same evening, Lizann Falvey learned from her husband that a convict had been killed. She thought of Bowen, and for some time was very sure that he was dead. Willis did not know the convict's name. He knew only what Renda had told him that a convict had tried to run away and Brazil had no choice but to shoot him. By then, the convicts were locked in the barracks for the night and Lizann had no way of finding out whether or not the man had been Bowen.
She considered asking Renda directly, but almost immediately decided against it. Her interest in Bowen could arouse Renda's suspicion and she could not risk any word or action which might do that. Not now. Not with the plan that would enable her to leave here already in her mind. She had thought it out carefully and deliberately. It was the simplest way, as far as
And looking around, Manring said.
Go on.
You're still thinking about it'aafter what Renda said?
Frank makes you want to get out all the more.
I've got to be sure of you, Manring said.
As sure as I am of you?
Manring's eyes narrowed. What's that supposed to mean?
You think about it a while.
Look, Manring said. I don't have to include you. If you're going to start accusing me again we'll forget about it. I'll get somebody else.
Earl, the only reason you're asking anybody is because getting out of here is something you can't do alone. I'm not sure yet why you're picking me. Maybe because you thought I was easy to manage before. Whatever the reason, it's something that'll do you the most good.
Manring shrugged. Forget about it then.
I can, Earl, but you can't. I just told you why.
You're pretty sure of yourself.
Bowen started to turn away.
Wait a minute Manring's hand came out to take his arm. Listen, there's no sense in arguing over it. Let's get down to cases'ayou either want to go or you don't. Which is it?
I haven't heard any plan yet, Bowen said.
That'll come.
It'll come right now, or I don't.
I'll tell you part of it, Manring paused. Then, his voice was lower as he said, You know what happens at the end of the canyon.
We climb, Bowen said.
That's right. Have you figured how we're going to cut a road up through the rocks?
It isn't my problem.
It wasn't mine either, Manring said, till I was taken on Renda's survey party. That was over a month ago'awhen we planned this swing through the canyon. We got up to the end and he says, 'yHow in hell we going to get out of here?' Right then is when the idea came. I said to him, 'yWhat're you worrying about those big rocks for when you got a gang of Yuma boys on your payroll?' He stopped to listen and I told him how at Yuma we cut whole cell blocks out of granite and shaped them just right. He thought about it and then says, 'yYou're making work for yourself, aren't you?' That's when I told him. I said, 'yWell, it's not so bad if you got dynamite.'
So he's going to use it? Bowen prompted.
It's already ordered, Manring said. Should be here by next week.
Earl, are you going to tell me you talked him into using dynamite?
I put the idea in his head. You can call it whatever you want.
You think, Bowen said, he would've plotted down that canyon without planning on dynamite?
Renda don't know anything about road building!
Bowen paused. Let me ask you something else, Earl. Do you know how to use dynamite?
I saw enough of it at Yuma.
That's right, you saw it'abut there's only one man here you're sure ever worked with it. That's where I figure in. You've got the plan, but you need me to set it off.
You're taking on a lot of credit all of a sudden, Manring muttered. Next you'll tell me you were planning on it all the time.
No, Bowen admitted. I never thought of breaking out of here as being worth blowing somebody up.
Well, think about it now, Manring said quietly. Think about this afternoon, the way that gunhand busted Chick Miller'athink about them watching you, looking for the littlest excuse to bust you'aand let me know what you come to.
That same evening, Lizann Falvey learned from her husband that a convict had been killed. She thought of Bowen, and for some time was very sure that he was dead. Willis did not know the convict's name. He knew only what Renda had told him that a convict had tried to run away and Brazil had no choice but to shoot him. By then, the convicts were locked in the barracks for the night and Lizann had no way of finding out whether or not the man had been Bowen.
She considered asking Renda directly, but almost immediately decided against it. Her interest in Bowen could arouse Renda's suspicion and she could not risk any word or action which might do that. Not now. Not with the plan that would enable her to leave here already in her mind. She had thought it out carefully and deliberately. It was the simplest way, as far as
Similar Books
