Sterry glanced significantly at Asbury and Hawkridge.  He recalled that singular message from Duke Vesey.  If all went well, it might contain a shadow of hope.  It was deemed best, however, to make no reference to it, even for the benefit of Whitney, who was questioned until he described as exactly as he could the location of the cattlemen.

The grace had expired.  No one thought of advising Whitney to disregard his parole, and no urging could have induced him to do it.  He affectionately kissed and embraced mother and sister, warmly shook the hands of his friends again, assured them of his hope that all would come out right, and then, passing through the door, was seen to walk up the ridge and pass over the summit, to take his place among his captors, there to await their pleasure.

“Sterry,” said Asbury, drawing him and Hawkridge aside, “you were saying awhile ago that nothing could induce you to accept the offer of Vesey to slip out in the darkness of the night.”

“No; as he presented it, such a flight would have been a piece of cowardice altogether different from my flight last night.  It would have weakened your defensive force and helped no one but me.”

“Now, however, it wears a different aspect.”

“Yes, it looks providential, and promises to open the way for the escape of all.  I hardly think,” added Sterry, with a smile, “that with all of Vesey’s gratitude to me he would do what he intends if he foresaw the probable consequences, for it means nothing less than the overthrow of Inman’s plans.”

“And the baffling of his charitable intentions concerning myself,” grimly added the captain.

“It seems to me we forgot one phase of the business,” remarked Hawkridge, “and that is the fact that the chances of failure are a hundredfold greater than those of success.”

His companions looked questioningly at him.

“Perhaps it will not be difficult for Vesey to secure the placing of himself and friend at the stables, as he promises to do, but it seems unlikely that, with a dark night and the temptation for some of us to try to get away, they will be the only couple that will be on the lookout at that time.  But, supposing they are,” added Hawkridge, “Sterry will have to mount his horse and ride off.  There will be some of the rustlers beyond him, and how can he pass them unchallenged?”

“If it proves too risky to try on horseback I can do it on foot,” replied Sterry; “in the darkness I will be taken for one of them, and, if questioned, can throw them off their guard.  The tramp to where the stockmen are in camp I judge to be little if any more than five miles, and it won’t take me long to travel that after getting clear of these people.”

“I have a strong belief that the whole scheme is doomed to failure,” said Hawkridge, and Capt.  Asbury agreed with him.

CHAPTER XXVIII.