m all bounds, all
creeds in the making of a mighty America that should be a home for
all the nations. But as the gray-headed old doctor went on he only
voiced what was the earnest conviction of many of the ablest men of
his time, both of the South and the North.

"The South has been robbed. We paid our share of the cost of this
last war, in blood and in money! We paid for our share in the new
territory won for the Union! And now they deny us any share of it!
A little band of ranters, of fanatics, undertake to tell a great
country what it shall do, what it shall think,--no matter even if
that is against our own interests and against our traditions!
Gentlemen, it's invasion, that's what it is, and that's my answer,
so far as my honest conscience and all my wisdom go. It's war!
What's the next thing to do? Judge, we can take back your
girl--the legal right to do that is clean. But we all know that
that may be only a beginning."

"To me, sir," ventured Judge Clayton, "the legal side of this is
very clear, leaving aside our right to recover my property. They
are trying to shove their fanatical beliefs down our throats with
rifle barrels. We never used to stand that sort of thing down
here. I don't think we will begin it now!"

The Honorable William Jones helped himself to whisky, altogether
forgetting his principle of taking but one drink a day. "If them
damned abolitionists would only stay at home, we could afford to
sit quiet an' let 'em howl; but when they come into our dooryard
an' begin to howl, it's time somethin' ought to be did. I 'low
we'll have to fight."

"We will fight," said Dunwody slowly and gravely. A faint picture
of the possible future was passing before his mind.

"What boat are these men using?" asked Doctor Jamieson, turning to
young Desha.

"Little old scow named the _Helen Bell_. She can't steam up-stream
a hundred miles a week. She ties up every night. We can easy
catch her, up above St. Genevieve, if we ride fast."

"That looks feasible to me," remarked Judge Clayton, and the others
nodded their approval.

Judge Clayton dropped into a seat, as he replaced his glass on the
nearest table. "By the way, Colonel Dunwody," said he, "there was
something right strange happened on the Vernon, coming down the
Ohio, and I thought maybe you could help us figure it out. There
was another disappearance--that extraordinarily beautiful young
lady who was there--you remember her? No one