e might well be
apprehensive, therefore, of the visits of those who never came but as so
many omens of evil, and whose claims upon, and perfect knowledge of, his
true character, were such, that he felt himself, in many respects, most
completely at their mercy.

Rivers did not give much time to preliminaries, but, after a few phrases
of commonplace, coming directly to the point, he stated the business in
hand, and demanded the assistance of the officer of justice for the
arrest of one of its fugitives. There were some difficulties of form in
the matter, which saved the sheriff in part, and which the outlaw had in
great part over looked. A warrant of arrest was necessary from some
officer properly empowered to issue one, and a new difficulty was thus
presented in the way of Colleton's pursuit. The sheriff had not the
slightest objections to making deputies of the persons recommended by
the outlaw, provided they were fully empowered to execute the commands
of some judicial officer; beyond this, the scrupulous executioner of
justice was unwilling to go; and having stood out so long in the
previous controversy with his spouse, it was wonderful what a vast stock
of audacious courage he now felt himself entitled, and ventured, to
manifest.

"I can not do it, Master Guy--it's impossible--seeing, in the first
place, that I ha'n't any right by the laws to issue any warrant, though
it's true, I has to serve them. Then, agin, in the next place, 'twont do
for another reason that's jist as good, you see. It's only the other
day, Master Guy, that the fear of the Lord come upon me, and I got
religion; and now I've set myself up as a worker in other courts, you
see, than those of man; and there be eyes around me that would see, and
hearts to rejoice at the backslidings of the poor laborer. Howbeit,
Master Guy, I am not the man to forget old sarvice; and if it be true
that this man has been put to death in this manner, though I myself can
do nothing at this time, I may put you in the way--for the sake of old
time, and for the sake of justice, which requires that the slayer of his
brother should also be slain--of having your wish."

Though something irritated still at the reluctance of his former
creature to lend himself without scruple to his purposes, the outlaw did
not hesitate to accept the overture, and to press for its immediate
accomplishment. He had expostulated with the sheriff for some time on
the point, and, baffled and deni