The stranger below was to him a matter of secondary concern. He had been a hunted man all his life. Therefore, there was neither novelty nor consternation in the reflection. The old man stalked up to the horse-block and greeted the stranger. "Howdy? Sort o' warmish t'-night. Whut mought be yo'-all's business seein' me?" "This is Mr. Lutts, I take it?" ventured the newcomer. "Thes air ol' Cap Lutts, o' Moon mountain," corrected the old man in a precise tone. "Yes, certainly," continued the man hastily. "Well, captain, I'm a deputy sheriff. I was despatched to see you and deliver a message from the sheriff." Here he revealed his shield, then unbuckled his belt, containing a pair of pistols, and hung them over the saddle-tree. "And, captain," he pursued wearily but genially, "I'm dog tired. I've been five hours coming up the last five miles. Can I talk with you a bit, captain?" The old man, who had listened intently, spoke up now, and there was a touch of sarcasm in his drawl. "Yo' air a new deputy, I 'low--hain't yo', sheriff?" "You are right. I was appointed two weeks ago, and I'll get even with somebody for sending me on this Godless trail--I smell some spite somewhere." "Wal, set down heah, sheriff, an' perceed," invited Lutts, with a generous gesture toward the bench. "I can state my position and my errand, captain, in very few words," began the new deputy, who had plainly lost a measure of his official zeal along the almost impassable trail, and now appeared disgruntled. "The sheriff, the district attorney, and the collector of this district have gotten together and have drafted an ultimatum and I was chosen to deliver it to you and get your answer. They propose to quash all the various indictments now against you for illicit distilling and for shootings alleged through warrants by some of the McGill faction." "Both the Commonwealth, the civil and Federal authorities stand as a unit to clear the dockets of these charges, providing that you come down and sign an agreement to cease all further operations pertaining to feud wars and the illicit distilling of liquor and turn over all your present distilling property to the government. That's it in a nutshell. I just want your answer--yes or no, captain--and my work is done." The sheriff looked up into the inscrutable face for answer. The old man smiled good-humoredly and tossed his long hair backward.