He opened the door of the little cupboard above his desk and took from it a decanter of moonshine whiskey Dan Wiley, one of his mountain men, had always kept filled for him. From the drawer he took two packs of cards and a case of poker chips. The cards and chips he rolled in a newspaper, placed in his stove and set them on fire. He smiled as he stood and listened to the roar of the sudden blaze. He raised his window and hurled the red-eyed decanter across the vacant lot in the rear of his office and saw it break into a hundred fragments on a pile of stones. “Wonder what Dan will say to that when he comes this morning?” he exclaimed, looking at his watch and resuming his seat. He heard a stealthy footfall at the door, turned and saw the tall lanky form of the mountaineer smiling at him. “Well, Chief, you sent for me?” “Yes, come in Dan!” Dan Wiley tipped in and stood pulling his long moustache thoughtfully, before taking a chair. “What’s on your mind?” asked John. “I heered somethin’.” “About me?” “Yes, and it pestered me.” “Well?” “They say you got drunk night ’fore last.” “And you’re going to preach me a sermon on temperance, you confounded old moonshining distilling sinner!” “Ye mustn’t git drunk,” observed Dan seriously. “But, didn’t you bring me the whiskey?” “Not to git drunk on. I brought it as a compliment. My whiskey’s pure mountain dew, life restorer--it’s medicine.” “It’s good whiskey, I’ll say that,” said John. “Even if you don’t pay taxes on it. You brought the men?” “Yes, but Chief, I’m oneasy.” “What about?” “Don’t like the looks er them dam Yankees. I’m a member er the church an’ a law abidin’ citizen.” “Yet I hear that a revenue officer passed away in your township last fall.” “Rattlesnakes and Revenue officers don’t count--they ain’t human.” “I see!” laughed John. “Say,” Dan whispered, “you ain’t calculatin’ ter make a raid ternight with them thousand blue-coats paradin’ round this town, are ye?” “That’s my business, Dan,” was John’s smiling answer. “It’s your business as a faithful night-hawk of the Empire to obey orders. Are you ready?” “Well, Chief, I followed you four years in the war, an’ I’ve never showed the white feather yet, but these is ticklish times. There’s a powerful lot er damfools gettin’ ermongst us, an’ I want ter ax ye one question?” “What?” “Are ye goin’ ter git drunk ter-night?” John walked to Dan’s side and placed his hand on his shoulder, and said slowly: “I’ll never touch another drop of liquor as long as I live. Does that satisfy you?” “I never knowd a Graham ter break his word.” John pressed the mountaineer’s hand. “Thanks Dan.” “I’m with you--and I’ll charge the mouth of the pit with my bare hands if you give the order.” “Good. Meet me at the spring in the woods behind the old cemetery at eleven o’clock to-night with forty picked men.” “Forty!--better make it an even thousand, man for man with the Yanks.”