within and
was followed by Mr. Trendley, bound and hobbled and tied to Red, the
rear being brought up by Frenchy, whose rifle lolled easily in the
crotch of his elbow. The singing went on uninterrupted and the hum of
voices between the selections remained unchanged. Buck left the crowd
around the fire and went into the cabin, where his voice was heard
assenting to something. Hopalong emerged and took a seat at the fire,
sending two punchers to take his place. He was joined by Frenchy and
Red, the former very quiet.

In the center of a distant group were seven men who were not armed.
Their belts, half full of cartridges, supported empty holsters. They sat
and talked to the men around them, swapping notes and experiences, and
in several instances found former friends and acquaintances. These men
were not bound and were apparently members of Buck's force. Then one of
them broke down, but quickly regained his nerve and proposed a game
of cards. A fire was started and several games were immediately in
progress. These seven men were to die at daybreak.

As the night grew older man after man rolled himself in his blanket
and lay down where he sat, sinking off to sleep with a swiftness that
bespoke tired muscles and weariness. All through the night, however,
there were twelve men on guard, of whom three were in the cabin.

At daybreak a shot from one of the guards awakened every man within
hearing, and soon they romped and scampered down to the river's edge
to indulge in the luxury of a morning plunge. After an hour's horseplay
they trooped back to the cabin and soon had breakfast out of the way.

Waffles, foreman of the O-Bar-O, and You-bet Somes strolled over to the
seven unfortunates who had just completed a choking breakfast and nodded
a hearty "Good morning." Then others came up and finally all moved off
toward the river. Crossing it, they disappeared into the grove and all
sounds of their advance grew into silence.

Mr. Trendley, escorted outside for the air, saw the procession as it
became lost to sight in the brush. He sneered and asked for a smoke,
which was granted. Then his guards were changed and the men began to
straggle back from the grove.

Mr. Trendley, with his back to the cabin, scowled defiantly at the crowd
that hemmed him in. The coolest, most damnable murderer in the West was
not now going to beg for mercy. When he had taken up crime as a means
of livelihood he had decided that if the price to be pai