"Well, Abe," the sheriff replied, "I 'lowed you'd kick; I know what human natur' on these hills is, an' so I thes axed some er the boys to come along. They er right down thar in the holler. They ain't got no mo' idea what I come fer'n the man in the moon; yit they'd make a mighty peart posse. Tooby shore, a great big man like you ain't afeard fer ter face a little bit er law." Abe Hightower hesitated a moment, and then went into the house. In a few minutes he issued forth and went out to the gate where the sheriff was. The faces of the two men were a study. Neither betrayed any emotion nor alluded to the warrant. The sheriff asked after the "crap"; and Abe told him it was "middlin' peart," and asked him to go into the house and make himself at home until the horse could be saddled. After a while the two rode away. Once during the ride Abe said: "I'm mighty glad it wa'n't that feller what run ag'in' you last fall, Dave." "Why?" asked the sheriff. "Bekaze I'd 'a' plugged him, certain an' shore," said Abe. "Well," said the sheriff, laughing, "I wuz a-wishin' mighty hard thes about that time that the t'other feller had got 'lected." The warrant amounted to nothing, and Abe was soon at home with his family; but it suited his high-spirited daughter to twit him occasionally because of his tame surrender to the sheriff, and it suited Dave to treat the matter good-humoredly. Abe Hightower took his way down the mountain; and about two miles from his house, as the road ran, he met the stranger who had attracted Babe's attention. He was a handsome young fellow, and he was riding a handsome horse--a gray, that was evidently used to sleeping in a stable where there was plenty of feed in the trough. The rider also had a well-fed appearance. He sat his horse somewhat jauntily, and there was a jocund expression in his features very pleasing to behold. He drew rein as he saw Abe, and gave a military salute in a careless, offhand way that was in strict keeping with his appearance. "Good morning, sir," he said. "Howdy?" said Abe. "Fine day this." "Well, what little I've saw of it is purty tollerbul." The young fellow laughed, and his laughter was worth hearing. It had the ring of youth in it. "Do you chance to know a Mr. Hightower?" he asked, throwing a leg over the pommel of the saddle. "Do he live anywheres aroun' in these parts?" Abe inquired. "So I'm told." "Well, the reason I ast," said Abe, leaning his rifle against a tree, "is bekaze they mought be more'n one Hightower runnin' loose." "You don't know him, then?" "I know one on 'em. Any business wi' him?" "Well, yes--a little. I was told he lived on this road. How far is his house?" "Well, I'll tell you"--Abe took off his hat and scratched his head--"some folks mought take a notion hit wuz a long ways off, an' then, ag'in, yuther folks mought take a notion that hit wuz lots nigher. Hit's accordin' to the way you look at it."