observed it.

"The business, Dillon, which I want you to execute, and to which you
will give all your attention, is difficult and troublesome, and requires
ingenuity. Mark Forrester was killed last night, as is supposed, in a
fray with a youth named Colleton, like himself a Carolinian. If such is
not the opinion yet, I am determined such shall be the opinion; and have
made arrangements by which the object will be attained. Of course the
murderer should be taken, and I have reasons to desire that this object
too should be attained. It is on this business, then, that you are to
go. You must be the officer to take him."

"But where is he? if within reach, you know there is no difficulty."

"Hear me; there is difficulty though he is within reach. He is one of
the men whom you found with the old farmer you would otherwise have
attacked last night. There is difficulty, for he will fight like a wild
beast, and stick to his ground like a rattlesnake; and, supported by the
old fellow whom you found him with, he will be able to resist almost any
force which you could muster on the emergency. The only fear I have is,
that being well-mounted, he will not keep with the company, but as they
must needs travel slowly, he will go on and leave them."

"Should it not rather be a source of satisfaction than otherwise--will
it not put him more completely at our disposal?"

"No; for having so much the start of you, and a good animal, he will
soon leave all pursuit behind him. There is a plan which I have been
thinking of, and which will be the very thing, if at once acted upon.
You know the sheriff, Maxson, lives on the same road; you must take two
of the men with you, pick fresh and good horses, set off to Maxson's at
once with a letter which I shall give you, and he will make you special
deputies for the occasion of this young man's arrest. I have arranged it
so that the suspicion shall take the shape of a legal warrant,
sufficient to authorize his arrest and detention. The proof of his
offence will be matter of after consideration."

"But will Maxson do this--may he not refuse? You know he has been once
before threatened with being brought up for his leaning toward us, in
that affair of the Indian chief, Enakamon."

"He can not--he dare not refuse!" said the outlaw, rising impatiently.
"He holds his place and his life at my disposal, and he knows it. He
will not venture to refuse me!"

"He has been very scrupulous of late in all