She heard him muttering as he passed--caught his words: "Lawler ain't got no gun--I seen that!" She ran faster than ever at that, and when Shorty reached the foot of the stairs leading to Warden's office she was at his heels.
There were other men behind her--a multitude.

She felt them pressing close behind her as she ran up the stairs.

But she did not look back, for she heard sounds of a conflict in Warden's office--the thud and jar of blows, the crashing of furniture overturned and smashed; the scuffling of feet on the floors--and screams of rage--in Warden's voice.
When she reached the top of the stairs and looked into the room between Shorty's shoulder and the door jamb, she screamed with apprehension.

For she saw Singleton, with blood dripping from a huge gash in his cheek, in the act of picking up a pistol that, evidently, had fallen on the floor during the fight that must have raged in the room.
Singleton's face was hideous with rage.

It was evident that he did not see Shorty and herself at the door--and that he had not heard the tramping of the many feet on the stairs.