e robbers? I thought him a gentleman."

Herbert began to understand why it was that Col. Warner, if that was
his real name, had drawn the conversation to stage robbers, and artfully
managed to discover where each of the passengers kept his supply of
money. It was clear that he was in league with the landlord of the Echo
Gulch Hotel, who, it was altogether probable, intended to waylay the
stage the next day.

This was a serious condition of affairs. The time had been when, in
reading stories of adventure, Herbert had wished that he, too, might
have some experience of the kind. Now that the opportunity had come, our
hero was disposed to regard the matter with different eyes.

"What can be done," he asked himself, anxiously, "to escape the danger
which threatens us to-morrow?"

CHAPTER XXIV. A MORNING WALK.

Herbert found it difficult to sleep from anxiety. He felt that the
burden was too great for him alone to bear, and he desired to speak on
the subject to George Melville. But there was a difficulty about doing
this undetected, on account of the thinness of the partitions between
the rooms. If he could hear Col. Warner, the latter would also be able
to hear him.

The stage was to start at seven o'clock the next morning, and before
that time some decision must be made. The first question was, should
they, or should they not, take passage, as they had anticipated?

At half-past five, Herbert, turning in bed, found his bedfellow awake.

"Mr. Melville," he whispered, "I have something important to
communicate, and cannot do so here on account of the danger of being
heard in the next room. Are you willing to dress and take a little walk
with me before breakfast?"

George Melville's physical condition did not make him usually favorable
to early rising, but he knew Herbert well enough to understand that he
had a satisfactory reason for his request.

"Yes, Herbert," he said, "I will get up."

Not a word was exchanged, for Mr. Melville's discretion prevailed over
his curiosity. In ten minutes both were fully dressed and descended the
stairs.

There was no one stirring except a woman, the landlord's wife, who was
lighting the fire in order to prepare breakfast.

She regarded the two with surprise, and perhaps a little distrust.

"You're stirrin' early, strangers," she said.

"Yes," answered Melville, courteously, "we are going to take a little
walk before breakfast; it may sharpen our appetites."

"Hu