As the agent considered the dangerous company he was in, and the extra-hazardous duty he was performing, at the very stronghold of the party that he was almost convinced had assassinated the Tamaqua policeman—although he had not gained any positive proof of their guilt—his mind was so unduly excited, brain so highly stimulated and alert that he might make no false step, speak no suspicious word, the liquor he swallowed produced no more effect upon his organism than so much water. Under similar circumstances a man will drink, from hour to hour, all day, and never be really intoxicated until the mental strain may be removed by the taking away of the cause of danger, when sleep, or stupor, will promptly supervene. Thus the detective joined with Campbell, the McKennas, and others, and was not too far gone to swallow several drams, after the walk in Campbell’s company to the Summit. There Tom Fisher resided. He was also a tavern-keeper. As McParlan—I shall call him by his true surname, while describing his associations with the Carbon County McKennas, to avoid confusion of titles in the reader’s memory—and Alex. Campbell were tramping over the hills to Summit, the agent, during a pause in the conversation, inquired if news of the Bill Thomas affair had reached Storm Hill. “Indade an’ it has!” returned Campbell; “an’ I hear it wur your men that did it!” “I guess ye have it purty straight, then,” said McParlan, not caring to spoil a story which was working tangibly in his interest, and which would draw his companion on to say more. “But ye must not let it out on me! I caution ye, there’s many inquiries goin’ on as to who performed that job!” “All right!” responded Campbell. “Although the thing ended in failure, it was well meant, and you were not to blame!” “There’s _lashins_ of betther men for such a thing than one can get in Shenandoah!” “I belave ye! Your fellows couldn’t do so clane a job as that down in Tamaqua!” Here was very delicate ground. The tracer must say exactly the right thing, if he desired to learn more. He was very drunk, as Campbell truly believed, yet managed to reply: “Be the great piper! but that wor a trick to be proud of! Indade, the best thing of the kind I ever heard about!” The tavern-keeper looked proudly but searchingly at McParlan for a second, seemed satisfied that he was trustworthy, and exclaimed: “Well, it do gain our lads credit! I wouldn’t have bothered my head about it, only it was on a trade, you know!”