Reeves got to his feet angrily。 〃I don't give a damn；〃 he snarled； his face flushing。 〃I ain't no damn Injun like you。 I'm cookin' my fish。〃
He scrambled around； gathering twigs。 At last； he had enough to start a small fixe。 His hand groped in his pocket for matches。 He found one and scraped it on a log。 It didn't light。 Angrily he scraped it again。 He stared at the match。 〃They're still wet；〃 he said。
〃Yeah；〃 Max answered； still chewing stolidly on the fish。 It was rubbery and oily but he chewed it slowly； swallowing only a little at a time。
〃You c'n start a fire；〃 Reeves snapped。
Max looked up at him。 〃How？〃
〃Injun style；〃 Reeves said； 〃rubbin' two sticks together。〃
Max laughed。 〃It won't work。 The wood's too damp。〃 He picked up a piece of the fish and held it up toward Reeves。 〃Here； eat it。 It ain't so bad if you chew it slow。〃
Reeves took the fish and squatted down beside Max； then began to chew on it。 After a moment； he spat it out。 〃I can't eat it。〃 He was silent for a moment； his arms wrapped around himself。 〃It's gettin' damn cold out here；〃 he said； shivering slightly。
Max looked at him。 It wasn't that cold。 Faint beads of perspiration stood out on Reeves's face and he was beginning to tremble。
〃Lay down；〃 Max said。 〃I'll cover you with grass … that'll keep you warm。〃
Reeves stretched out and Max bent down and touched his face。 It was hot with fever。 Max straightened up slowly and went to cut some more grass。
It was a hell of a time for Reeves to e down with malaria。 Reluctantly he took one of his matches from its oilskin wrapping and lighted a fire。
Reeves continued to shake spastically beneath the blanket of swamp grass and moan through his chattering teeth。 Max glanced up at the sky。 The night was almost gone。 Unconsciously he sighed。 He wondered how long it would take for the warden to catch up with them now。
He dozed； swaying slightly； as he sat。 A strange sound hit his subconscious and suddenly he was awake。
He reached for his fishing spear and crouched down。 The sound came again。 Whatever it was； it was large。 He heard the sound again； closer this time。 His legs drew up beneath him。 He was set to lunge the spear。 It wasn't much but it was the only weapon he had。
Then Mike was standing there casually； his rifle crooked in his arm。 〃You' a damn fool； boy；〃 he said。 〃Shoulda knowed better'n to light a fire out here。〃
Max got to his feet。 He could feel fatigue spread over him now that it was over。 He gestured to the sick man。 〃He got the fever。〃
Mike walked over to Reeves。 〃Sure 'nough；〃 he said； his voice marveling。 〃That warden； he was right。 He figgered Reeves would get it after three days in the swamp。〃
Mike sat down next to the fire and warmed his hands。 〃Man but that fire sure do feel good；〃 he said。 〃You should'n'a waited aroun'。〃
〃What else could I do？〃
〃He would'n'a waited if it was you。〃
〃But it wasn' me；〃 Max said。
The Negro looked down at the ground。 〃Maybe you better git goin' now； boy。〃
Max stared at him。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃Git goin'；〃 Mike said harshly。
〃But the rest of the posse？〃
〃They won' catch up fo' a couple of hours；〃 Mike said。 〃They be satisfied catchin' Reeves。〃
Max stared at him； then looked off into the swamp。 After a moment； he shook his head。 〃I can't do it；〃 he said。
〃You' a bigger fool than I thought； boy；〃 Mike said heavily。 〃 'Twas him； he'd be off in the swamp now。〃
〃We busted out together；〃 Max answered。 〃It's only fittin' we go back together。〃
〃All right； boy；〃 Mike said in a resigned voice。 He got to his feet。 〃Drown that fire。〃
Max kicked the fire into the water； where it sputtered and died。 He glanced back and saw Mike pick up Reeves as if he were a baby and sling him over his shoulder。 Max started back into the swamp toward the prison。
〃Where at you goin'； boy？〃 Mike's voice came from behind him。
Max turned around and stared。
Mike pointed in the opposite direction。 〃The end o' the swamp about twenty…fi' miles that way。〃
Sudden prehension came to Max。 〃You can't do it； Mike。 You ain't even officially a prisoner no more。〃
The big man's head nodded。 〃You' right； boy。 I ain't a prisoner。 That means I kin go where I wants an' if I don't want to go back； they can't say nothin' about it。〃
〃But it's different if they catch you helpin' me。〃
〃If they catch us； they catch us；〃 Mike said simply。 〃Anyway； I don't wanta be the one who lays the snake on you。 I can't do it。 You see； we's really frien's。〃
Eight days later； they came out of the swamp。 They stretched out on the hard； dry ground； gasping for breath。 Max raised his head。 Far in the distance； he could see smoke rising on the horizon。
〃There's a town there；〃 he said excitedly； scrambling to his feet。 〃We'll be able to git some decent grub。〃
〃Not so fast；〃 Reeves said； pulling him down。 Reeves was still yellow from the fever but it had passed。 〃If it's a town； there's a general store。 We'll hit it tonight。 No use takin' any chances。 They might be expectin' us。〃
Max looked over at Mike。 The big Negro nodded。
They hit the store at two in the morning。 When they came out； they all wore fresh clothing； had guns tucked in their belt and almost eighteen dollars they had found in the till。
Max wanted to steal three horses from the livery stable and ride out。 〃Ain't that just like an Injun？〃 Reeves said sarcastically。 〃They'll trace horses faster'n us。 We'll keep off the road two or three days； then we'll worry about horses。〃
Two days later； they had their horses。 Four days later； they knocked off a bank in a small town and came out with eighteen hundred dollars。 Ten minutes later； they were on their way to Texas。
13
MAX CAME INTO FORT WORTH TO MEET THE TRAIN that was to bring Jim Reeves's daughter from New Orleans。 He sat in the barber chair and stared at himself in the mirror。 The face that looked back was no longer the face of a boy。 The trim black beard served to disguise the high cheekbones。 He no longer looked like an Indian。
Max got out of the chair。 〃How much do I owe you？〃
〃Fifty cents for the haircut； two bits for the beard trim。〃
Max threw him a silver dollar。
Mike came off the side of the building against which he had been leaning and fell into step。 〃It's about time fer the train to be in' in；〃 Max said。 〃I reckon we might as well walk down to the station。〃
Three and a half years before； they had e into Fort Worth one night with seven thousand dollars in their saddlebags。 Behind them they had left two empty banks and two dead men。 But they had been lucky。 Not one of them had been identified as other than an unknown person。
〃This looks like a good town；〃 Max had said enthusiastically。 〃I counted two banks in' in。〃
Reeves had looked up at him from a chair in the cheap hotel room。 〃We're through with that；〃 he said。
Max stared at him。 〃Why？ They look like setups。〃
Reeves shook his head。 〃That's where I made my mistake last time。 I didn't know when to quit。〃 He stuck a cigarette in his mouth。
〃What we goin' to do； then？〃 Max asked。
Reeves lit the cigarette。 〃Look aroun' for a good legitimate business。 There's lots of opportunity out here。 Land is cheap and Texas is growin'。〃
Reeves found the business he was looking for in a little town sixty…five miles south of Fort Worth。 A saloon and gambling hall。 In less than two years； he had bee the most important man in town。 Then he started a bank in a corner of the gambling house and； a little time later； began to acquire land。 There was even talk of electing him mayor。
He bought a small ranch outside of town； fixed up the house and moved out of the rooms over the saloon。 A little while after that； he moved the bank out of the saloon； which Max then operated； and ensconced it in a small building on the main street。 In less than a year； people began to forget that he had ever owned the saloon and began to think of him as the town banker。 He began to grow quietly rich。
He needed but one thing more to plete his guise of respectability。 A family。 He sent discreet inquiries back to New Orleans。 He learned that his wife was dead and his daughter was living with her mother's relatives。 He sent her a telegram and received one in return； saying that she would arrive at Fort Worth on the fifth of March。
Max stood looking down the platform at the disembarking passengers。 〃You know what she looks like？〃 Mike asked。
〃Just what Jim tol' me and it's been ten years since he saw her。〃
Little by little； the passengers walked away until the only one left was a young woman； surrounded by several valises and a small trunk。 She kept looking up and down the platform。 Mike looked at Max questioningly。 〃You reckon that might be her？〃
Max shrugged his shoulders。
They walked down to the young woman。 Max took off his Stetson。 〃Miss Reeves？〃
A smile of relief appeared on the young woman's face。 〃I declare； I'm glad to see you；〃 she said warmly。 〃I was beginnin' to think Daddy never received my telegram。〃
Max returned her smile。 〃I'm Max Sand；〃 he said。 〃Your father sent me to meet you。〃
A fleeting shadow crossed the girl's face。 〃I half expected that；〃 she said。 〃Daddy's been too busy to e home for ten year