both himself and his
work, and had developed a veritable passion for the capture of
malefactors, he was more than usually successful. His zeal, tempered
with discretion, had won the appreciative attention of official
superiors. There could be no doubt that promotion would shortly remove
him to a higher plane of service. The fact would have been most
agreeable to Stone, but for two things. He desired beyond all else,
before going from the mountains, to capture Dan Hodges, who had so
persistently flouted the law, and himself, its representative; the
second unsatisfied ambition was to come on the long-lost Burns'
still.

The Scottish poet's poverty was almost equal to his genius. On that
account, Robert Burns was glad to secure the stipend of fifty pounds a
year to which he became entitled on his appointment as exciseman in
1788. It may be that his convivial habits made his official position
particularly acceptable, since doubtless his perquisites included the
keeping of his own jug filled. And there were moonshiners among the
Scottish hills in those days, as perhaps there are to-day. On
occasion, the poet made a gift of a captured still to some discreet
friend. One recipient emigrated to America, and bore into the
wilderness that has become North Carolina the kettle and cap of copper
on which Burns had graven his name, and the date, 1790. Afterward, as
the years passed, the still knew many owners, mostly unlawful. It won
fame, and this saved it from the junk-heap of its fellows, when seized
by the Federal officers. Three times, it was even placed on public
exhibition. As many, it was stolen by moonshiners. For years now, it
had remained in secret. Marshal Stone yearned to recapture the Burns
still. There was no reason whatsoever for believing it to be in the
possession of Hodges, yet it might as easily be with that desperado as
with another. There was at least the possibility. The marshal, as he
rode north before the dawn next morning, felt a new kindling of hope.
It seemed to him almost certain that the opportunity was at hand to
satisfy one ambition at least by putting Hodges behind the bars. For
the other, it was on the lap of the gods.

The officer was at pains to use every precaution to avoid being
observed while in company with the girl, whom he duly met at the
appointed place while the sun was yet low on the eastern horizon. The
two made their way with what quiet they could through devious paths to
Luffman's Bra