"That'll let her know that
everything's O. K."

"Just the thing!" answered Three-fingered Hoover, and then he added, and
he meant it: "Durned if you ain't jest about as slick as they make 'em,
pardner!"

The combined efforts of the guitar and Mother failed, however, to produce
any manifestation whatever, so far as Miss Woppit was concerned. The
light in the front room of the cabin glowed steadily, but no shadow of
the girl's slender form was to be seen upon the white muslin curtain. So
the two men went up the gravelly walk and knocked firmly but respectfully
at the door.

They had surmised that Miss Woppit might be asleep, but, oh, no, not she.
She was not the kind of sister to be sleeping when her brother was in
possible danger. The answer to the firm but respectful knocking was
immediate.

"Who's there and what do you want?" asked Miss Woppit in tremulous tones,
with her face close to the latch. There was no mistaking the poor
thing's alarm.

"It's only us gents," answered Three-fingered Hoover, "me an' Barber Sam;
did n't you hear us serenadin' you a minnit ago? We 've come to tell you
that everything 's all right--Jim told us to come--he told us to tell you
not to be skeered, and if you wuz skeered how we gents should kind of
hang round here to-night; be you skeered, Miss Woppit? Your voice sounds
sort o' like you wuz."

Having now unbolted and unlatched and opened the door, Miss Woppit
confessed that she was indeed alarmed; the pallor of her face confirmed
that confession. Where was Jim? Had they caught the robbers? Was there
actually no possibility of Jim's getting shot or stabbed or hurt? These
and similar questions did the girl put to the two men, who, true to their
trust, assured the timorous creature in well-assumed tones of confidence
that her brother could n't get hurt, no matter how hard he might try.

To make short of a long tale, I will say that the result of the long
parley, in which Miss Woppit exhibited a most charming maidenly
embarrassment, was that Three-fingered Hoover and Barber Sam were
admitted to the cabin for the night. It was understood--nay, it was
explicitly set forth, that they should have possession of the front room
wherein they now stood, while Miss Woppit was to retire to her apartment
beyond, which, according to popular fame and in very truth, served both
as a kitchen and Miss Woppit's bedroom, there being only two rooms in the
cabin.

This front room had in it a