"It's something of a surprise to learn that three men who are wanted so badly by the law have stayed close by. You might have done better to have gotten out of Texas."
None of the men replied. Penelope watched the masked man as if hypnotized. Twice now he had arrived at a crisis. In spite of herself, she found that she was trusting him.
"Of course, you felt secure here," the Lone Ranger went on. "You knew that Thunder Mountain would make a fine hideout in case any law men managed to get through the Gap. You cleared out a trail and a campsite, and then concealed it. You felt pretty safe, or you wouldn't have stayed here."
"Won't yuh cut us loose?" pleaded Vince.
"Where are the rest of the men who work here?" asked the masked man.
"They went tuh town," said Vince, "right after the buryin'. They made a sort o' holiday of it. They'll be comin' back."
The masked man turned slightly toward Penny, still however watching the others. He would ask later about the burial.
"How many of those other men are wanted by the law?"
"I don't know. I don't know but the whole pack of them are crooked. They must be. If they weren't, they'd get out, like Yuma did."
"Yuma?"