n.
Presently he arose and sauntered to the door. "I want to see yore father
about some horses Billie needs. Back soon."

He gave them a half-hour, but he took pains to see that his assistant
covered the back door while he watched the front of the house. The
prisoner was handcuffed, but Jack did not intend to take any chances.
Personally he believed that Clanton was guilty, but whether he was or not
it was his duty to bring the convicted man safely to Live-Oaks. This he
meant to do.

Chapter XXX

Polly has a Plan

Pauline moved across the room and sat down beside Jim. An eager light
shone in her soft, brown eyes.

"Listen!" she ordered in a low voice. "I've got a plan. There's a chance
that it will work, I think. But tell me first about your sleeping
arrangements. Does Jack or the other guard sit up and watch you all the
time?"

"No. The champion roper of New Mexico, Arizona, an' Texas throws the
diamond hitch on yours truly. He does an expert job, tucks me up, an'
says good-night. He knows I'm perfectly safe till mornin', especially
since both he an' Brad sleep in the same room with me."

"Well, I'm going to give you dad's room." She leaned forward and
whispered to him steadily for five minutes.

The sardonic mockery had vanished from the face of the prisoner. He
listened, every nerve and fiber of him at alert attention. Occasionally
he asked a question. Carefully she explained the plan, going over each
detail of it again and again.

Jim Clanton was efficient. In those days it was a necessary quality for a
bad man if he wished to continue to function. He offered a suggestion or
two which Pauline incorporated in her proposed campaign of action. At
best her scheme was hazardous. It depended upon all things dovetailing
properly. But he was in no place to pick and choose. All he asked was a
chance and an even break of luck.

"You dandy girl!" he cried softly, and took her two hands between the
palms of his fettered ones. "I'm a scalawag, Polly. But if you pull this
off for me, I'll right-about-face. That's a promise. Somehow I've never
acted like I wanted to. I've done a heap of wild an' foolish things, an'
I've killed whenever it was put up to me. I don't reckon any woman that
married me would be real happy. But if you'll take a chance 111 go away
from here an' well Make a fresh start. You're the only girl there is for
me."

A faint smile lay in her eyes. "You used to think Lee was the only girl,
di