The man had been sent to state’s prison, not because of the company he kept, but because, in Jimmie’s own words, “he had it comin’.”  He had known long ago that Jimmie Clayton would end this way, or worse.  Now Clayton was giving his own version of the killing of the guard, and this version would probably be a lie.  But through all of these considerations which Thornton saw so clearly there was something else; something seen as clearly, looming high and distinct above them:  Jimmie had played the part of friend when but for a friend Thornton would have died.  That counted with Buck Thornton.  And now Clayton had sent for him, had entrusted into his hands all hope of safety.  And he was not this man’s judge.

While the cowboy sat silent and thoughtful Jimmie Clayton was watching him, watching him with anxiety brilliant in his eyes, his tongue moistening, constantly moistening the lips which went dry and parched and cracked.  Thornton knew, without lifting his eyes from the pool of shadow quivering at the base of the candle stub.

“You ain’t goin’ back on me, Buck!” The wounded man had drawn himself up on his elbow.  “I’ll leave it to you, Buck, if I didn’t stick by you when you was in trouble.  Remember, Buck, when I found you, out on the trail between Juarez and El Paso.  And you don’t care a damn about the reward, Buck; you said so, didn’t you?”

“Jimmie,” said Thornton slowly, lifting his eyes from the floor to meet both the pleading and the terror in Clayton’s, “I’m going to do what I can for you.  But I don’t quite know what is to be done.  They’re going to be on your trail mighty soon if they’re not on it now.  Can you ride?”

“I can’t ride much, Buck.”  And yet Clayton’s voice rang with its first note of hope.  For if Thornton knew him, then no less did Clayton know Thornton.  And Buck had said that he was going to help him.  “I rode them two hundred miles getting here, me all shot to hell that away.  An’ I rode into your camp las’ night to leave the letter.  An’ I guess if it had been half a mile fu’ther I wouldn’t never have made it back.”

“Why didn’t you come in at my cabin?  I’d have fixed you up there.”

“I come awful near it, Buck!  I wanted to.  But I didn’t know.  There might ‘a’ been some of the other boys bunkin’ there an’ I wasn’t takin’ chances.”

“I see.  Now, let’s see what we’re goin’ to do.”

He stood whipping at his boots with his quirt, trying to see a way.  This lonely place might be a safe refuge for a few days.  But range business sometimes carried his men this far, and soon or late some one would stumble upon Clayton’s hiding place.  Clayton’s voice, eager again and confident, broke into his thoughts.

“I got to find somebody as’ll give me a lift, ain’t I?  A man can’t go on playin’ a lone han’ like I’m adoin’ an’ get away with it long.  Now, I got to be laid up here four or five days, anyway, until I can ride again.  You can keep your punchers away from here that long, can’t you?”