The back door was open for ventilation, so he need not worry about noisy hinges. Inside the house, he found himself in a hallway that extended all the way to the open front door. He saw the dark outline of a guard sitting on the edge of the front porch.

The floor creaked under his weight, giving him a moment’s pause until he saw that the guard was not responding. He decided that nervousness exaggerated his perception of the noise.

Jeremiah Brackett slept in the southwest corner room, Farley had said. The doors to two other bedrooms opened into the hallway. Bethel and Elnora Brackett slept in those, he reasoned. He had no wish to awaken them. Startled, they might cry out and bring the guards running in.

His eyes grew accustomed to the gloom. He could make out a bureau with a mirror on it and a pitcher and bowl. Brackett’s bed was pulled up next to the deep window for fresh air. Brackett snored softly.

Andy touched his shoulder and leaned down to whisper in his ear. “Mr. Brackett. Wake up.”

The farmer jerked. His snoring ended abruptly with a choking sound. He raised up from his pillow, looking around wildly.

“No noise, Mr. Brackett,” Andy whispered. “There’s a guard sittin’ on your front porch.”

“Who are you?” Brackett demanded hoarsely. “If you’re here to rob me you’ve come to a poor place.”

“You remember me. I’m Andy Pickard, from over at Rusty Shannon’s.”

“The Indian boy? What do you want?”

“I’ve come on an errand for Farley. He says you’ve saved some gettin’-away money for him.”

Brackett seemed to have awakened fully. He swrung his legs out of the bed and set his feet on the floor. “How do I know you’re doin’ this for Farley? How do I know you’re not here to take the money and light out with it?”

Andy reached into his shirt pocket. “Got a letter from him to you. He was aimin’ to send Shanty, but I’ve come instead.”

“Shanty? That darkey?” The thought seemed to puzzle Brackett. He unfolded the letter but could not read it in the poor light. He reached toward a lamp.

Andy said, “I wouldn’t light that. Might cause the guards to come in and see what’s goin’ on.”

Brackett tried holding the letter close to the window but still could not read it. “I’ll have to take your word. I reckon if you weren’t honest, Shannon wouldn’t have put up with you for so long.”

He pulled a pair of trousers over his bare legs and half buttoned them. “The money’s in the parlor, hidden in the back of a drawer.”

“I hope you can get it without rousin’ up the guard on the porch.”

Brackett’s weight made the floor squeak more than it had under Andy. Andy stood in the hallway, his back to the wall beside the parlor door, and watched the guard. The slump of the man’s shoulders indicated that he might be asleep, but Andy knew he could not count on that.