nd I will do the talking."

"Well?"

She lowered her voice to a whisper-- "Lean your head closer."

Wilfred put down his head. "Is this close enough?" he whispered,
feeling exalted. Men, women and children circled about them; the air
vibrated with the shock of trunks and mail bags hurled upon the
platform.

"No," said Lahoma, rising on tiptoe.

Wilfred took off his hat and got under hers.

She whispered in his ear, "Red Kimball came on this train--there he
is--he hasn't seen me, yet--was in another coach."

"Well? Go on talking. Lahoma--I'd get closer if I could."

"S-H-H! He knows me, for he was a porter in our hotel. When he sees
us he'll know I've come home to warn Brick. S-H-H! Then he'll try to
keep me from doing it. Look--some of his gang are speaking to
him--they've been waiting here to meet him--they'll go with him, I
expect. We'll all be in the stage-coach together!"

"What do you want me to do to 'em, Lahoma?"

"I want you to pretend that you don't know me--and they mustn't find
out your name is Compton, or they'll think Mr. Edgerton got word to you
to join me here. Be a stranger till we're safe in the cove."

"All right. Good-by--but suppose I hadn't come?"

"Oh, I could have done without you," said Lahoma. "Or I think I could."

"You could never have done without me!" Wilfred declared decidedly.

"I can right NOW--" She drew away. "I'll get into the stage; don't
follow too soon."

There were three stage-coaches drawn up at a short distance from the
platform, and Lahoma went swiftly to the one bound for her part of the
country. She was the first to enter; she was seated quietly in a
corner when the two long seats that faced each other began filling up.
The last to come were four men: one, tall, slender, red-faced and
red-haired, two others of dark and lowering faces, who looked upon the
former as their leader, and the last, Wilfred Compton, who had
unobtrusively joined himself to this remnant of Red Kimball's gang.

The stage, which was built after the manner of the old-fashioned
omnibus, afforded no opportunity of moving to and fro in the selection
of seats, hence, when Red Kimball discovered Lahoma's identity--the
exact moment of the discovery was marked by his violent start--she was
safeguarded from his approach by her proximity to a very large woman
flanked by a thin spinster. These were two sisters, going to the
evening's station where the coach would stop for supper,