rounded swell of Turtle Hill, he stretched himself between
two wide flat rocks and lay with his face and gun directed toward the
opening of the cove.

"Now, Bill," he said sharply, "if you will just set facing me with your
eye on the north wall, so you can tell if anybody tries to sneak over
the mountain-top, I'll make matters clear. Wilfred, you can go or
stay, free as air, only IF you stay, I can't promise but you may see a
man killed--me, or Red Kimball, I don't know which, though naturally I
has my preference," he added, his harsh voice suddenly changing to the
accent of comradeship. "As to Bill, he ain't got no choice. He come
and put up with me and Lahoma when nobody didn't want him, and now, in
time of danger, I 'low to get all the help out of him that's there in
spite of a begrudging disposition and the ravages of time."

"What I want to know is this," Bill interrupted: "Who and what is this
Red Kimball? And if you have to hide from him, why ain't you doing it?"

"I puts it this way, Bill: that the telegram traveled faster than old
Red could, so no need to hide till tonight, though when you deals with
Red, it behooves you to have your gun ready against chances. You want
to know about Red Kimball? But I think I'd best wait till Lahoma's
letter comes, so my story can tally with hers. I got my reasons for not
wanting to tell all about Red Kimball which I reckon he wouldn't be
grateful for, but that's for him to say. So I 'lows to tell only as
much as I has to tell, that depending on what Lahoma has picked up,
according."

"I suppose you've met him face to face?" growled Bill.

"They don't seem to be no harm in that question, Bill, but you never
knows where a first question is leading you. If I refuses to answer
what seems fair and square, no suspicions is roused when I refuses to
answer what might sound dark and shady. So I banks myself against my
general resolution to say nothing beyond Lahoma's word."

"Her word says he can prove everything. What is 'everything'?"

"That's what we'll learn from her letter. We'll just watch him do his
proving!"

"And her word says to hide this minute."

"I don't do my hiding in daylight, but when it's good and dark, I'm
going to put out. I would tell you the hiding-place, for I trusts you
both--but if you knowed where it was, and if officers of the law come
to you for information, you'd be in a box; I know you wouldn't give me
up, but neither would you swea