I don't know why my
movements interest you so much. It's quite a compliment! May I get under
shelter while I explain?"

No request could have been more natural, for the rain had now begun to
fall in straight floods. Yet there was a pause before one of them said,
"He might as well."

The Virginian chose to say nothing more; but he walked beside me into
the stable. Two men sat there together, and a third guarded them. At
that sight I knew suddenly what I had stumbled upon; and on the impulse
I murmured to the Virginian, "You're hanging them to-morrow."

He kept his silence.

"You may have three guesses," said a man behind me.

But I did not need them. And in the recoil of my insight the clump
of cottonwoods came into my mind, black and grim. No other trees high
enough grew within ten miles. This, then, was the business that the
Virginian's letter had so curtly mentioned. My eyes went into all
corners of the stable, but no other prisoners were here. I half expected
to see Trampas, and I half feared to see Shorty; for poor stupid
Shorty's honesty had not been proof against frontier temptations, and he
had fallen away from the company of his old friends. Often of late I
had heard talk at Sunk Creek of breaking up a certain gang of horse and
cattle thieves that stole in one Territory and sold in the next, and
knew where to hide in the mountains between. And now it had come to the
point; forces had been gathered, a long expedition made, and here they
were, successful under the Virginian's lead, but a little later than
their calculations. And here was I, a little too early, and a witness in
consequence. My presence seemed a simple thing to account for; but when
I had thus accounted for it, one of them said with good nature:-- "So
you find us here, and we find you here. Which is the most surprised, I
wonder?"

"There's no telling," said I, keeping as amiable as I could; "nor any
telling which objects the most."

"Oh, there's no objection here. You're welcome to stay. But not welcome
to go, I expect. He ain't welcome to go, is he?"

By the answers that their faces gave him it was plain that I was not.
"Not till we are through," said one.

"He needn't to see anything,"' another added.

"Better sleep late to-morrow morning," a third suggested to me.

I did not wish to stay here. I could have made some sort of camp apart
from them before dark; but in the face of their needless caution I was
helpless. I made no attempt