Page:Saga of Billy the Kid.djvu/244
on that six-shooter Bell's got shoved down in his belt. I've warned Bell but he only laughs. Says there ain't no danger."
"Bell don't unlock the Kid's handcuffs, does he?"
"No, the Kid plays with his handcuffs on."
Sheriff Garrett pondered a moment.
"Well," he said, "I don't know as I see much harm in the Kid's playin' cards with Bell now and then to pass the time, if his shackles are left on. He can't do nothin' very desperate with his hands chained together."
"I don't like it," Ollinger declared. "There is danger. All the time the Kid's talkin' about this, that, and the other, he's lookin' over the top of his cards at Bell's revolver. He'll grab that gun some day if Bell don't look out."
"Bell must watch himself, of course."
"Bell's careless in other ways, too. He likes to read the newspapers. He ain't got no business readin' newspapers on guard. With the Kid sittin' six feet from him, Bell needs all the eyes he's got. Lemme tell you somethin'. Bell was readin' a newspaper one day. The Kid sittin' on his cot. Bell held the paper so close to his face he couldn't see the Kid at all. The Kid got up without makin' no noise whatsoever and sneaked a step or two toward Bell. He was standin' within three feet o' him without Bell knowin' it when I come in the door quietlike. The Kid looked mighty sheepish when all of a sudden he seen me standin' there in the door and went on over to the window and pretended to be lookin' out."
"That sounds bad. Bell ought to be more careful."
"And Bell told me himself of one or two suspicious moves the Kid's made. He said one time the Kid started to walk up and down the floor, makin' believe he was exer-