He had been fortunate. At his first knock on the rear door of the hotel, Keller had appeared; and Keller had instantly grasped the situation--though he plainly told Della that she was "goin' to a whole lot of unnecessary trouble." "Why, good Lord, ma'am, I reckon you had a right to hole up with Lawler! Nobody'd be blamin' you. They's a dozen men in this town that would make a colander out of anybody that'd hint things about a deal like that. Lawsy, ma'am, folks has got sense, ain't they? But if you doubt 'em, I reckon we can take care of you." Lawler prepared and ate breakfast. It had been a tiresome ride, and after eating, knowing that there was no occasion for haste in his return to the Circle L--except that his mother would wonder over his whereabouts--he stretched out in one of the lower bunks--the one he had occupied during Della's stay in the cabin. He had not barred the door; and when, some hours later he awoke, he saw half a dozen men in the cabin. They were standing near the door, watching him. Foremost among them was Gary Warden. Lawler swung around in the bunk and sat on its edge, facing the men. They were Two Diamond men, for he recognized some of them. Lawler got to his feet. He saw no friendliness in the faces of the men; and Warden was pale, scowling. But Lawler smiled. "Looking for something, boys?" he said. "We're looking for two men and a woman, Lawler. Have you seen anything of them?" "I've seen two men, Warden; but no woman." Warden's eyes quickened. Some color surged into his face. "How long have you been here, Lawler?" "Since the day the storm broke. Davies and Harris went to town for a spree, and I've been substituting for them." He felt a savage amusement over Warden's attempt to conceal his disappointment. He could see that the man was consumed with curiosity over the outcome of the fence cutting, though he dared not voice it. "Lawler," said Warden; "we've lost two men--Link and Givens; and Della Wharton--who was staying at the Two Diamond." "I've seen no woman, Warden. But I've seen Link and Givens. You'll find them out by the windbreak. I had to kill them." Lawler saw the men behind Warden grow rigid; Warden's face grew ghastly. Lawler's smile had gone. He was coldly alert, watching the men behind Lawler, aware that his news was a shock to them; divining they would not hesitate to do violence if an explanation was not quickly offered. But there was cold malice in Lawler's heart toward Warden; and he stood, silent, watchful, until Warden recovered from his astonishment. He was determined to compel Warden to ask the question that, plainly, was in his mind. And at last Warden asked it: "What did you kill them for?"