couldhearthesoundsofhorsesbeingdrivenintothecorralandsaddled。ThenIperceivedthatthecoffeewasready，andalmostimmediatelythecookcalledthem。Onecamein，shuttingthedoorbehindhimashereentered，whichtherestastheyfollowedimitated；forateachopeningofthedoorIsawthelightofdayleapintothestableandheardtheloudersoundsoftherain。
Thenthesoundandthelightwouldagainbeshutout，untilsomeoneatlengthspokeoutbluntly，biddingthedoorbeleftopenonaccountofthesmoke。Whatweretheyhidingfrom？heasked。Therunawaysthathadescaped？Alaughfollowedthissally，andthedoorwasleftopen。ThusIlearnedthattherehadbeenmorethievesthanthetwothatwerecaptured。Itgavealittlemoregroundfortheirsuspicionaboutmeandmyanxietytopassthenightelsewhere。Itcostnothingtodetainme，andtheyweretakingnochances，howeverremote。
Thefreshairandthelightnowfilledthestable，andIlaylisteningwhiletheirbreakfastbroughtmoretalkfromthem。TheyweremoreateasenowthanwasI，whohadnothingtodobutcarryoutmyroleofslumberinthestall；theyspokeinafriendly，ordinaryway，asifthiswerelikeeveryothermorningoftheweektothem。Theyaddressedtheprisonerswithasortoffraternalkindness，notbringingthempointedlyintotheconversation，noryetpointedlyleavingthemout。Imadeoutthattheymustallbesittingroundthebreakfasttogether，thosewhohadtodieandthosewhohadtokillthem。TheVirginianIneverheardspeak。ButIheardthevoiceofSteve；hediscussedwithhiscaptorsthesundrypointsofhiscapture。
“Doyourememberahaystack？“heasked。“AwayupthesouthforkofGrosVentre？“
“ThatwasThursdayafternoon，“saidoneofthecaptors。“Therewasashower。“
“Yes。Itrained。Wehadyoufooledthattime。Iwaslayingontheledgeabovetoreportyourmovements。“
Severalofthemlaughed。“WethoughtyouwereoveronSpreadCreekthen。“
“Ifiguredyouthoughtsobythetrailyouafterthestack。
SaturdaywewatchedyouturnyourbackonusupSpreadCreek。WeweresnugamongthetreestheothersideofSnakeRiver。Thatwasanothertimewehadyoufooled。“
Theylaughedagainattheirownexpense。Ihaveheardmenpicktopiecesahandofwhistwithmoreantagonism。
Stevecontinued:“WouldweheadforIdaho？WouldweswingbackovertheDivide？Youdidn’tknowwhich！Andwhenwegeneralledyouontothatbandofhorsesyouthoughtwasthebandyouwerehunting——ah，wewereastrongcombination！“HebrokeoffwiththefirsttouchofbitternessIhadfeltinhiswords。
“Nothingisanystrongerthanitsweakestpoint。“ItwastheVirginianwhosaidthis，anditwasthefirstwordhehadspoken。
“Naturally，“saidSteve。HistoneinaddressingtheVirginianwassodifferent，socurt，thatIsupposedhetooktheweakestpointtomeanhimself。ButtheothersnowshowedmethatIwaswronginthisexplanation。
“That’sso，“onesaid。“Itsweakestpointiswherearopeoragangofmenisgoingtobreakwhenthestraincomes。Andyouwaslinkedwithapoorpartner，Steve。“
“You’rerightIwas，“saidtheprisoner，backinhiseasy，casualvoice。
“Yououghttohavegotyourselfseparatedfromhim，Steve。“
Therewasapause。“Yes，“saidtheprisoner，moodily。“I’msittingherebecauseoneofusblundered。“Hecursedtheblunderer。“Lightinghisfoolfirequeeredthewholedeal，“headded。Asheagainheavilycursedtheblunderer，theothersmurmuredtoeachothervariousItoldyouso’s“
“You’dneverhavebuiltthatfire，Steve，“saidone。
“Isaidthatwhenwespiedthesmoke，“saidanother。“Isaid，’That’snoneofSteve’swork，lightingfiresandrevealingtoustheirwhereabouts。’“
ItstruckmethattheywereplyingStevewithcompliments。
“Prettyhardtohavethefoolgetawayandyougetcaught，“athirdsuggested。Atthistheyseemedtowait。Ifeltsomethingcuriousinallthislasttalk。
“Oh，didhegetaway？“saidtheprisoner，then。
Againtheywaited；andanewvoicespokehuskily:-“Ibuiltthatfire，boys。“Itwastheprisonerinthegrayflannelshirt。
“Toolate，Ed，“theytoldhimkindly。“Youain’tagoodliar。“
“Whatmakesyoulaugh，Steve？“saidsomeone。
“Oh，thethingsInotice。“
“MeaningEdwasprettyslowinbackingupyourplay？Thejokeisreallyonyou，Steve。You’doughtnevertohavecursedthefire-builderifyouwantedustobelievehewaspresent。Butwe’dnothavedonemuchtoShorty，evenifwehadcaughthim。Allhewantsistobescaredgoodandhard，andhe’llgobackintovirtuousness，whichishisnaturewhennottravellingwithTrampas。“
Steve’svoicesoundedhardnow。“YouhavecaughtEdandme。Thatshouldsatisfyyouforonegather。“
“Well，wethinkdifferent，Steve。Trampasescapingleavesthisthingunfinished。“
“SoTrampasescapedtoo，didhe？“saidtheprisoner。
“Yes，Steve，Trampasescaped——thistime；andShortywithhim——thistime。Weknowitmostaswellasifwe’dseenthemgo。
Andwe’regladShortyisloose，forhe’llbuildanotherfireordosomeotherfoolishnessnexttime，andthat’sthetimewe’llgetTrampas。“
Theirtalkdriftedtootherpoints，andIlaythinkingoftheskirmishthathadplayedbeneaththesurfaceoftheirbanter。
Yes，thejoke，astheyputit，wasonSteve。Hehadlostonepointinthegametothem。Theywereplayingfornames。He，beingachivalrousthief，wasplayingtohidenames。Theycouldonly，amongseverallikelyconfederates，guessTrampasandShorty。Soithadbeenaslipforhimtocursethemanwhobuiltthefire。
Atleast，theysoheldit。For，theywithsubtletyreasoned，onecursestheabsent。AndIagreedwiththemthatEddidnotknowhowtoliewell；heshouldhaveatonceclaimedthedisgraceofhavingspoiledtheexpedition。IfShortywastheblunderer，thencertainlyTrampaswastheotherman；forthetwowereasinseparableasdonandmaster。TrampashadenticedShortyawayfromgood，andtrainedhiminevil。ItnowstruckmethatafterhissingleremarktheVirginianhadbeensilentthroughouttheirshrewddiscussion。
ItwastheotherprisonerthatIheardthemnextaddress。“Youdon’teatanybreakfast，Ed。“
“Braceup，Ed。LookatSteve，howhardyheeats！“
ButEd，itseemed，wantednobreakfast。Andthetindishesrattledastheyweregatheredandtakentobepacked。
“Drinkthiscoffee，anyway，“anotherurged；“you’llfeelwarmer。“
Thesewordsalmostmadeitseemlikemyownexecution。Mywholebodyturnedcoldincompanywiththeprisoner’s，andasifwithaclankthesituationtightenedthroughoutmysenses。
“Ireckonifeveryone’sreadywe’llstart。“ItwastheVirginian’svoiceoncemore，anddifferentfromtherest。Iheardthemriseathisbidding，andIputtheblanketovermyhead。I
felttheirtreadastheywalkedout，passingmystall。Thestrawthatwashalfundermeandhalfoutinthestablewasstirredasbysomethingheavydraggedorhalfliftedalongoverit。“Lookout，you’rehurtingEd’sarm，“onesaidtoanother，asthestepswithtangledsoundspassedslowlyout。Iheardanotheramongthosewhofollowedsay，“PoorEdcouldn’tswallowhiscoffee。“
Outsidetheybegangettingontheirhorses；andnexttheirhoofsgrewdistant，untilallwassilenceroundthestableexceptthedull，evenfallingoftherain。
IdonotknowhowlongIstayedtherealone。ItwastheVirginianwhocameback，andashestoodatthefootofmyblanketshiseye，aftermeetingminefullforamoment，turnedaside。Ihadneverseenhimlookashedidnow，noteveninPitchstoneCanyonwhenwecameuponthebodiesofHankandhiswife。Untilthismomentwehadfoundnochanceofspeakingtogether，exceptinthepresenceofothers。
“Seemstoberainingstill，“Ibeganafteralittle。
“Yes。It’sawetspell。“
Hestaredoutofthedoor，smoothinghismustache。
ItwasagainIthatspoke。“Whattimeisit？“
Hebroodedoverhiswatch。“Twelveminutestoseven。“
Iroseandstooddrawingonmyclothes。
“Thefire’sout，“saidhe；andheassembledsomenewsticksovertheashes。Presentlyhelookedroundwithacup。
“Nevermindthatforme，“Isaid“We’vealongride，“hesuggested。
“Iknow。I’vecrackersinmypocket。“
Mybootsbeingpulledon，Iwalkedtothedoorandwatchedtheclouds。“Theyseemasiftheymightlift，“Isaid。AndItookoutmywatch。
“Whattimeisit？“heasked。
“Aquarterof——it’srundown。“
WhileIwounditheseemedtobeconsultinghisown。
“Well？“Iinquired。
“Tenminutespastseven。“
AsIwassettingmywatchheslowlysaid:
“Stevewoundhisallregular。Ihadtonight-guardhimtilltwo。“
Hisspeechwaslikethatofoneinatrance:so，atleast，itsoundsinmymemoryto-day。
AgainIlookedattheweatherandtherainyimmensityoftheplain。Thefoot-hillseastwardwhereweweregoingwereasoftyellow。Overthegray-greensage-brushmovedshapelessplacesoflight——notyettheuncoveredsunlight，butspotswherethestormwaswearingthin；andwanderingstreamsofwarmthpassedbyslowlyinthesurroundingair。AsIwatchedthecloudsandtheearth，myeyeschancedtofallonthedistantclumpofcottonwoods。Vaporsfromtheenfeebledstormfloatedroundthem，andtheywereindeedfaraway；butIcameinsideandbeganrollingupmyblankets。
“Youwillnotchangeyourmind？“saidtheVirginianbythefire。
“Itisthirty-fivemiles。“
Ishookmyhead，feelingacertainshamethatheshouldseehowunnervedIwas。
Heswallowedahotcupful，andafteritsatthinking；andpresentlyhepassedhishandacrosshisbrow，shuttinghiseyes。
Againhepouredoutacup，andemptyingthis，roseabruptlytohisfeetasifshakinghimselffreefromsomething“Let’spackandquithere，“hesaid。
Ourhorseswereinthecorralandourbelongingsintheshelterofwhathadbeenoncethecabinatthisforlornplace。HecollectedtheminsilencewhileIsaddledmyownanimal，andinsilencewepackedthetwopackhorses，andthrewthediamondhitch，andhauledtighttheslack，dampropes。Soonwehadmounted，andasweturnedintothetrailIgavealookbackatmylastnight’slodging。
TheVirginiannoticedme。“Good-byforever！“heinterpreted。
“ByGod，Ihopeso！“
“Samehere，“heconfessed。Andthesewereourfirstnaturalwordsthismorning。
“Thiswillgowell，“saidI，holdingmyflaskouttohim；andbothofustooksome，andfelteasierforitandthenaturalwords。
Foranhourwehadbeenshirkingrealtalk，holdingfasttotheweather，oranything，andallthewhilethatsilentthingwewerekeepingoffspokeplainlyintheairaroundusandineverysyllablethatweuttered。Butnowweweregoingtogetawayfromit；leaveitbehindinthestable，andsetourselvesfreefromitbytalkingitout。Alreadyreliefhadbeguntostirinmyspirits。
“Youneverdidthisbefore，“Isaid。
“No。Ineverhadittodo。“Hewasridingbesideme，lookingdownathissaddle-horn。
“IdonotthinkIshouldeverbeable，“Ipursued。
Defiancesoundedinhisanswer。“Iwoulddoitagainthismorning。“
“Oh，Idon’tmeanthat。It’sallrighthere。There’snootherway。“
“Iwoulddoitalloveragainthesamethismorning。Justthesame。“
“Why，soshouldI——ifIcoulddoitatall。“Istillthoughthewasjustifyingtheirjusticetome。
Hemadenoanswerasherodealong，lookingallthewhileathissaddle。Butagainhepassedhishandoverhisforeheadwiththatfrownandshuttingoftheeyes。
“IshouldliketobesureIshouldbehavemyselfifIwerecondemned，“Isaidnext。Foritnowcametome——whichshouldI
resemble？CouldIreadthenewspaper，andbeinterestedincountyelections，anddiscusscomingdeathasifIhadlostagameofcards？Orwouldtheyhavetodragmeout？Thatpoorwretchinthegrayflannelshirt——“Itwasbadinthestable，“Isaidaloud。Foranafter-shiverofitwentthroughme。
Athirdtimehishandbrushedhisforehead，andIventuredsomesympathy。
“I’mafraidyourheadaches。“
“Idon’twanttokeepseeingSteve，“hemuttered。
“Steve！“Iwasastounded。“Whyhe——whyallIsawofhimwassplendid。Sinceithadtobe。Itwas——“
“Oh，yes；Ed。You’rethinkingabouthim。I’dforgothim。Soyoudidn’tenjoyEd？“
