And now for the first time he gravely inspected the faces in the group near him.
Two men--cowboys--who stood near the big man, were evidently the "boys" referred to by the latter.

Their faces were set and expressionless.
Between them stood a rugged, well-built man of about twenty-two or three.

His hands were tied behind him, a rope was around his neck, the free end coiled in the hands of one of the two men.
The young man's face was sullen, but his head was held very erect, and his eyes were steady and unwavering as he watched the big man.
The girl at whom Miss Bransford was looking stood near the young man.
Sanderson saw her turn from Miss Bransford and look at the young man piteously, her lips quivering suspiciously.
There was another man in the group--an under-sized fellow, pale, emaciated, with big, troubled, and perplexed eyes.

Sanderson saw that his hands were clenched, and that his thin lips were pressed so tightly together that they were blue and bloodless.
This man stood slightly apart from the others, as though he had no part in what was going on; though Sanderson could tell from his manner that he was laboring under an intense strain.
Miss Bransford and the big man were the opposing forces in what was transpiring--Sanderson knew that from Miss Bransford's manner of answering the big man's question.

Her "yes" had been uttered reluctantly.