"Hold on, Buck, if you're aboveboard you won't mind giving your word to see that no one comes up the valley and that you'll be here in the morning?"
The words set a swirling blackness before Buck's eyes. He turned slowly.
"That's reasonable," said Silent. "Speak up, Daniels."
"All right," said Buck, his voice very low. "I'll be here in the morning, and I'll see that no one comes up the valley."
There was the slightest possible emphasis on the word "up."
On a rock directly in front of the shanty Buck took up his watch. The little house behind him was black. Presently he heard the soft call of Kate: "Is it time?"
His eyes wandered to the ranch house. He could catch the drone of many voices. He made no reply.
"Is it time?" she repeated.
Still he would not venture a reply, however guarded. She called a third time, and when he made no response he heard her voice break to a moan of hopelessness. And yet he waited, waited, until the light in the ranch house went out, and there was not a sound.
"Kate!" he said, gauging his voice carefully so that it could not possibly travel to the ranch house, which all the while he carefully scanned.