e other rooms and
outhouses. Then the two men who had been standing beside him fell back
with a certain disciplined precision, as a smooth-chinned man advanced
from the open door. Going to the bar, he poured out a glass of whiskey,
tossed it off deliberately, and, standing in front of Collinson, with
his shoulder against the chimney and his hand resting lightly on his
hip, cleared his throat. Had Collinson been an observant man, he would
have noticed that the two men dropped their eyes and moved their feet
with a half impatient, perfunctory air of waiting. Had he witnessed
the stage-robbery, he would have recognized in the smooth-faced man the
presence of "the orator." But he only gazed at him with his dull,
imperturbable patience.

"We regret exceedingly to have to use force to a gentleman in his own
house," began the orator blandly; "but we feel it our duty to prevent a
repetition of the unhappy incident which occurred as we entered. We
desire that you should answer a few questions, and are deeply grateful
that you are still able to do so,--which seemed extremely improbable a
moment or two ago." He paused, coughed, and leaned back against the
chimney. "How many men have you here besides yourself?"

"Nary one," said Collinson.

The interrogator glanced at the other men, who had reentered. They
nodded significantly.

"Good!" he resumed. "You have told the truth--an excellent habit, and
one that expedites business. Now, is there a room in this house with a
door that locks? Your front door DOESN'T."

"No."

"No cellar nor outhouse?"

"No."

"We regret that; for it will compel us, much against our wishes, to
keep you bound as you are for the present. The matter is simply this:
circumstances of a very pressing nature oblige us to occupy this house
for a few days,--possibly for an indefinite period. We respect the
sacred rites of hospitality too much to turn you out of it; indeed,
nothing could be more distasteful to our feelings than to have you, in
your own person, spread such a disgraceful report through the
chivalrous Sierras. We must therefore keep you a close
prisoner,--open, however, to an offer. It is this: we propose to give
you five hundred dollars for this property as it stands, provided that
you leave it, and accompany a pack-train which will start to-morrow
morning for the lower valley as far as Thompson's Pass, binding
yourself to quit the State for three months and keep this matter a