d himself an
elder soldier, if not a better, than either of his two young guests, but
wished to spare their feelings by not letting them find it out. Griffith
found this plain solution inconsistent with his homicidal theory: a
murderer, fleeing for his life, would have jumped at the chance.

There are two sides to every question. Let us, this once, prove both
sides. Wholly oblivious to Griffith's lynx-eyed watchfulness and his
leading questions, Mr. Long yet recognized the futility of an attempt to
ride away on Mr. Griffith's horse with Mr. Griffith's benison. There we
have the other point of view.

"We'll have to send for grub anyway," pursued the sagacious Mr. Long.
"I've only got a little left; and that old liar, Gwin, won't be out for
four days--if he comes then. And--er--look here now--if I was you boys
I'd let the sheriff and his posse smoke your badger out. They get paid
to tend to that--and it looks to me like some one was going to get hurt.
You've done enough."

All this advice was so palpably sound that the doubter was, for the
second, staggered--for a second only. This was the man he had seen in
the prisoner's dock. He was morally sure of it. For all the difference
of appearance, this was the man. Yet those blasts--the far-seen
fire--the hearty welcome--this delivery of himself into their hands?...
Griffith scarcely knew what he did think. He blamed himself for his
unworthy suspicions; he blamed Gurdy more for having no suspicions at
all.

"Anything else?" he said. "That sounds good."

Tobe studied for some time.

"Well," he said at last, "there may be some way he can get out. I don't
think he can--but he might find a way. He knows he's trapped; but likely
he has no idea yet how many of us there are. So we know he'll try, and
he won't be just climbing for fun. He'll take a chance."

Steele broke in:

"He didn't leave any rope on his saddle."

Tobe nodded.

"So he means to try it. Now here's five of us here. It seems to me that
some one ought to ride round the mountain the first thing in the
morning, and every day afterward--only here's hoping there won't be many
of 'em--to look for tracks. There isn't one chance in a hundred he can
climb out; but if he goes out of here afoot we've got him sure. The man
on guard wants to keep in shelter. It's light to-night--there's no
chance for him to slip out without being seen. You say the old watchman
ain't dead yet, Mr. Griffith?"

"No. The latest bulletin