ter which honest men may travel in
safety! Ah, never have I adjusted a hempen cravat about the throat of
any aspirant for such an honor with less pain than I shall officiate at
the last toilet of Black Donald!'

"'If thee catch him!'

"'Exactly, friend, if I catch him; but the additional reward offered by
Major Warfield, together with the report that he often frequents our
towns and villages in disguise, will stimulate people to renewed efforts
to discover and capture him,' said the sheriff.

"'Ah! that will be a great day for Alleghany. And when Black Donald is
hanged, I shall make an effort to be present at the solemnity myself!'

"'Do, friend,' said the sheriff, 'and I will see to getting you a good
place for witnessing the proceedings.'

"'I have no doubt thee will, John--a very good place! And I assure thee
that there will not be one present more interested in those proceedings
than myself,' said I.

"'Of course, that is very natural, for there is no one more in danger
from these marauders than men of your itinerant calling. Good heavens!
It was but three years ago a peddler was robbed and murdered in the
woods around the Hidden House.'

"'Just so, John,' said I; 'and it's my opinion that often when I've been
traveling along the road at night Black Donald hasn't been far off! But
tell me, John, so that I may have a chance of earning that thousand
dollars--what disguises does this son of Moloch take?'

"'Why, friend, it is said that he appears as a Methodist missionary,
going about selling tracts; and sometimes as a knife grinder, and
sometimes simulates your calling, as a peddler!' said the unsuspicious
sheriff.

"I thought, however, it was time to be off, so I said 'Thee had better
let me sell thee those handcuffs, John. Allow me! I will show thee their
beautiful machinery! Hold out thy wrists, if thee pleases, John.'

"The unsuspicious officer, with a face brimful of interest, held out his
wrists for experiment.

"I snapped the ornaments on them in a little less than no time, and took
up my pack and disappeared before the sheriff had collected his
faculties and found out his position!"

"Ha, ha, ha! Haw, haw, haw! Ho, ho, ho!" laughed the outlaws, in every
key of laughter. "And so our captain, instead of being pinioned by the
sheriff, turned the tables and actually manacled his honor! Hip, hip,
hurrah! Three times three for the merry captain, that manacled the
sheriff!"

"Hush, burn ye! There's s