couldhearthesoundsofhorsesbeingdrivenintothecorralandsaddled。ThenIperceivedthatthecoffeewasready，andalmostimmediatelythecookcalledthem。Onecamein，shuttingthedoorbehindhimashereentered，whichtherestastheyfollowedimitated；forateachopeningofthedoorIsawthelightofdayleapintothestableandheardtheloudersoundsoftherain。
Thenthesoundandthelightwouldagainbeshutout，untilsomeoneatlengthspokeoutbluntly，biddingthedoorbeleftopenonaccountofthesmoke。Whatweretheyhidingfrom？heasked。Therunawaysthathadescaped？Alaughfollowedthissally，andthedoorwasleftopen。ThusIlearnedthattherehadbeenmorethievesthanthetwothatwerecaptured。Itgavealittlemoregroundfortheirsuspicionaboutmeandmyanxietytopassthenightelsewhere。Itcostnothingtodetainme，andtheyweretakingnochances，howeverremote。
Thefreshairandthelightnowfilledthestable，andIlaylisteningwhiletheirbreakfastbroughtmoretalkfromthem。TheyweremoreateasenowthanwasI，whohadnothingtodobutcarryoutmyroleofslumberinthestall；theyspokeinafriendly，ordinaryway，asifthiswerelikeeveryothermorningoftheweektothem。Theyaddressedtheprisonerswithasortoffraternalkindness，notbringingthempointedlyintotheconversation，noryetpointedlyleavingthemout。Imadeoutthattheymustallbesittingroundthebreakfasttogether，thosewhohadtodieandthosewhohadtokillthem。TheVirginianIneverheardspeak。ButIheardthevoiceofSteve；hediscussedwithhiscaptorsthesundrypointsofhiscapture。
“Doyourememberahaystack？“heasked。“AwayupthesouthforkofGrosVentre？“
“ThatwasThursdayafternoon，“saidoneofthecaptors。“Therewasashower。“