Lawler would take him to the Circle L and turn him over to Blackburn and the other men of the outfit.

And Blackburn would hang him, for Blackburn had told him he would.

Or, if Lawler didn't take him to Blackburn he would take him to the sheriff.

He would be hanged then, but he would go to the new prison at the capital, and Ruth would have to stay on here to do the real suffering for his misdeeds.
"You damned fool!" came Lawler's voice into the vacuumlike stillness of the cabin.

"You haven't got nerve enough to shoot a coyote!" Hamlin knew it; he knew, now, at least, that he hadn't had nerve enough to shoot Lawler.