hey--"

"Perform the ceremony? I reckon some time between now an' sunrise,
onless the crowd changes its mind. They're goin' to talk it over agin ez
soon as Cozzins comes back. He's huntin' fer thet other rascal."

After this Earl joined Randy, who was anxious to hear what Guardley had
had to say. The two walked some distance away.

"I believe Tom Roland stole the gold," began Earl, "but Guardley was
willing he should, and he remained on guard around the tent while Roland
dug it up, so he's just as guilty."

"But to take his life--" shuddered Randy.

"I hope they change their minds about that. And, by the way, we were
right about that money in Boston. Roland got that, and he had that lost
letter, too. Guardley admitted it, although he didn't give me any
particulars. He is trying to lay the blame of everything on Roland."

A shout interrupted the conversation at this point. Cozzins had come
back after an exciting but fruitless chase. At his appearance the scene
took on a new activity, and the would-be lynching party moved to the
front of the so-called store, where half a dozen flaring torches and two
smoking kerosene lamps lit up the weird scene. Here Cozzins told his
story, and then Guardley was brought out, trembling in every limb. He
begged over and over again to be let go, and his earnestness had its
effect even on the man who had been robbed. A talk lasting a quarter of
an hour followed, and then Guardley was given his choice of two
sentences,--the one being that already pronounced, and the other being a
whip-lashing on his bare back, and a drumming out of the camp, with the
warning that if he ever showed up there again, he was to be shot on
sight. With a long sigh of relief he chose the latter punishment, and
was ordered to strip, while Cozzins prepared for his part in the affair,
by hunting up the hardest and strongest rawhide dog-whip to be found.

"I don't want to see the whipping," whispered Randy; "let us go home.
Poor Guardley! I guess Cozzins will make him suffer as he has never
suffered before!"

"I hope it teaches him a lesson to turn over a new leaf," answered Earl.
"But I'm afraid there isn't any reform to Guardley. He hasn't even
enough manliness to shoulder his share of the blame, but tries to put it
all off on Roland. Come on." And they turned away without another word.
Before they were out of hearing distance of the camp, a shriek rent the
air, telling that Guardley's punishment had already be