at the
windbreak near the line cabin. He put the big horse in the dugout,
closed the dugout door and entered the cabin. Then he breathed a sigh of
relief.

There were still some glowing embers in the fireplace, and he soon had a
roaring fire, in front of which he stood for a while, meditating.

He had got Della Wharton into the Willets Hotel without, he felt
certain, attracting attention. For when they had ridden into
town--taking the back way in order to avoid any sleepless citizens that
might be about--it was past midnight. Lawler had timed himself to reach
town at about that hour, knowing that with the exception of a brothel or
two, Willets would be dark.

He had been fortunate. At his first knock on the rear door of the hotel,
Keller had appeared; and Keller had instantly grasped the
situation--though he plainly told Della that she was "goin' to a whole
lot of unnecessary trouble." "Why, good Lord, ma'am, I reckon you had a
right to hole up with Lawler! Nobody'd be blamin' you. They's a dozen
men in this town that would make a colander out of anybody that'd hint
things about a deal like that. Lawsy, ma'am, folks has got sense, ain't
they? But if you doubt 'em, I reckon we can take care of you."

Lawler prepared and ate breakfast. It had been a tiresome ride, and
after eating, knowing that there was no occasion for haste in his return
to the Circle L--except that his mother would wonder over his
whereabouts--he stretched out in one of the lower bunks--the one he had
occupied during Della's stay in the cabin.

He had not barred the door; and when, some hours later he awoke, he saw
half a dozen men in the cabin. They were standing near the door,
watching him. Foremost among them was Gary Warden.

Lawler swung around in the bunk and sat on its edge, facing the men.
They were Two Diamond men, for he recognized some of them.

Lawler got to his feet. He saw no friendliness in the faces of the men;
and Warden was pale, scowling.

But Lawler smiled. "Looking for something, boys?" he said.

"We're looking for two men and a woman, Lawler. Have you seen anything
of them?"

"I've seen two men, Warden; but no woman."

Warden's eyes quickened. Some color surged into his face.

"How long have you been here, Lawler?"

"Since the day the storm broke. Davies and Harris went to town for a
spree, and I've been substituting for them."

He felt a savage amusement over Warden's attempt to conceal his
disappointment. He co