"That is sufficient, sir. You acknowledge that you came in to-night an hour late, in a condition unfitting an employee of the government?" "I was late, sir, on account of coming over a path through the wilderness of the Greenbrier district." "Does Uncle Sam say that you are to carry his treasures through the wilderness?" "No, sir. But I want to explain how I was obliged to come that way if I got here at all." "It is not necessary." "It seems to me," said Mr. Rimmon, "and I have more interest in that matter than any one present, that it is not only necessary, but an act of justice to the court itself that your honor listen to Mr. Lewis' account. He came over the mountains by a tedious footpath, not from choice, but from necessity. He deserves our praise rather than our condemnation for his heroic conduct. If our road surveyors had done their duty, his duty would have been easy." "Let me speak," cried the hermit, at this juncture. "It was all an infamous scheme——" "Order!" thundered the court. "We can't be broken into by a mad fool. Put him out if necessary, Mr. Brady." "Another word, and I'll pitch you into the road," said the sheriff. Old Solitaire showed that he was laboring under great excitement, though he did not offer to speak. "This is no place for senseless stories told by boys," said "his honor." "If you have any reasonable excuse to offer for your folly, Dix Lewis, you will have plenty of opportunity to give it in the higher court. You have admitted enough to condemn you to prison for the rest of your days, and I can do no different than to place you under indictment on at least three charges, which I now do." "Sheriff Brady, you will please take the prisoner to a safe place, until you are called upon to deliver him up by a higher authority." By this time great confusion was reigning in the room. Mrs. Lewis was weeping and wringing her hands in wild abandon of grief, while Little Snap was trying to speak an encouraging word. "They shan't take my boy off to jail! He has done nothing wrong!" In vain Justice Claverton called for order, until the voice of Mr. Rimmon silenced the babel of sounds. "Your honor, you cannot ignore the rights of the prisoner thus. He has certain privileges you cannot and shall not deny him. He is at least entitled to bail, as no capital charge has been made against him." "Yes, I might do it as a matter of form, but it would make no difference in the result, for who is there would go on his bonds?" "Fix the sum." "Five thousand dollars." "An outrageous amount; but how will the names of Jason Warfield and myself do?" "Mr. Warfield is not in town, Mr. Rimmon." "I understand he has just returned. Make out the papers, and I will see that he signs them with me." A deep silence now hung over the scene. "Bah! this makes it all a farce!" exclaimed the rasping tone of Morton Meiggs. "I give notice here and now that I withdraw from the prisoner's mail bond." "So do I!" echoed Clevis Claverton.