with
Mr. Clay's compromise, of this year, the Lord only knows."

It was young Yates who at length ventured to interrupt in his soft
and drawling tones, "I don't see how the No'th can charge us up
with much. Whenever they get into trouble and want help in a
trade, or a fight, or a argument, why, they come south!"

Doctor Jamieson calmly took snuff. "Time was, when we first came
in as a state," said he, "that we didn't take these attempts of the
North to regulate us any too tamely."

[Illustration: Doctor Jamieson calmly took snuff.]

"I don't know about that," commented Judge Clayton. "Your 'moral
law,' your 'higher law,' gentlemen, I don't find in my legal
reading. It was personal liberty that took every man west, but
we've stood and stickled for the actual law, and we've been robbed
under it: robbed as a state, and now they want to rob us as
individuals. Gentlemen, these men are carrying off a girl of mine
worth, say fifteen hundred to two thousand. I say deliberately
that, when these armed invaders come to cross this state with
purposes such as that, there is full process of law under which
they can be turned back. For instance, you, Colonel Dunwody, are a
United States marshal. I've the honor to represent the Judiciary
of this state. We haven't time now to put the matter in the hands
of the courts or of the legislature. But it seems to me--"

"Men," said young Desha tersely, "we're wastin' time. We've made
our medicine. Let's hit the war trail."

Dunwody smiled at him. "You boys are hot-headed," said he.

"To hell with the Constitution!" exclaimed the Honorable William
Jones suddenly.

"Well, it's one Constitution against the other, anyhow," said
Clayton. "You can see the intent of the North now plainly enough.
Indiana openly says she's going to make the Fugitive Slave Act
impossible of enforcement. All over the North they call it immoral
and unchristian--they reserve the right of interpreting both the
Bible and the Constitution for us--as though we weren't grown men
ourselves. That's the sort of law there is back of this boat load
of fools down there."

"Men, we're wastin' time!" repeated young Desha.

"Get the horses!" ordered Dunwody of the nearest black.

CHAPTER XV

THE ARBITRAMENT

It was twilight when the little cavalcade from Tallwoods arrived at
the old river town of St. Genevieve. The peaceful inhabitants,
most of them of the old French strain, looked out in amazeme