Page:Ritchie - Trails to Two Moons.djvu/226

. They searched the unconscious Agnew, found his keys and started on an uncharted way through the dark for the jail.

It was then the mob from the street broke through the jail door and swarmed into a broad passageway leading to the flight of iron stairs to the cell house above. Somebody carried a lantern high above his head. That was the only light. It went pitching and tossing over the surf of heads thrusting up the broad staircase.

A door on the second landing was opened just as the vanguard of the mob was turning a newel post for the final rank of steps to the door of the cell house. Timberline Todd, with the keys to the cell house in his pocket, took one startled look at the bobbing lantern and the close-packed scores of men it shone upon, then banged shut the door and turned a key in the lock.

"All off, boys," he shrilled in a half whisper to those behind. "They 've beat us to it. We better vamose while we 're all in one piece."

So back through the sheriff's quarters and to the opened window the retreat of the cowmen carried them. Their way led past a closed door, beyond which the one they had come to