court," inquired the
executive, "you agree to bring in whatever men are called to
attendance?"

"Dead or alive--yes," reiterated Stacy with inflexible persistency.

"Unfortunately," smiled the great man, "the legislature, in its wisdom,
has vested in me no power to instruct any citizen to deprive other
citizens, however undesirable, of their lives. Whoever undertakes such
an enterprise must do so on his own responsibility--and, despite the
worthiness of his motive, he faces a strong chance of the death
penalty."

There was a brief pause, as the lawyer and his protege rose to depart,
and the governor shook Bear Cat's hand. "You are a picturesque person,
Mr. Stacy. I hope to hear more of you." Then as a quizzical twinkle
wrinkled the corner of his eyes he added: "I almost think it is a pity
that I have no power to authorize your wading in free-handed--but it's
not within my official scope."

Bear Cat was standing straight and looking with searching gravity into
the face of the governor. There seemed an odd variance between the
words and the spirit back of the words, and then he saw the tall man
with the distinguished face engage his glance with something intangibly
subtle--and he saw one dignified eye deliberately close leaving its
mate open. The governor of the commonwealth had winked at him--and he
understood the perplexing variance between words and spirit.

Outside, in a corridor of the state building, Bear Cat laid a hand on
Sidney's arm.

"When ther time comes," he said shortly, "I'll be ready. I wants thet
ye should hev hit give out in Marlin Town, thet ye sought ter persuade
me, but that I wouldn't hev nuthin' more ter do with aidin' state
co'tes then I would with revenuers." And that was the message that
percolated through the hills.

When Turner returned home he went first to Blossom's cabin, his heart
full of thoughts of her and sympathy for her loneliness. Old days there
swarmed into memory, and just to see her, even now that he counted for
so little, meant a great deal to him. But in the road, at first sight
of the house, he halted in astonishment--for the chimney was
smokeless--and when he hurried forward his dismay grew into something
like panic as he found the windows blankly shuttered and the door
nailed up.

Hastening to his own house, he demanded in a strained voice of fright.
"Whar air she, maw? Whar's Blossom at?"

The old woman rose and took from the mantel-shelf a folded sheet of
paper