“And you have been allowing your men to do that which will put us in the power of every Northern mudsill of an abolitionist, and eventually turn the tide which is now in our favor, against us!” The Colonel wheeled about and faced Thomson. “Was this the understanding when you started on the expedition?” Bill still stood sullen-faced and silent before his accuser. “Have we not jails strong enough to hold prisoners?” Titus asked, significantly. “Dead men tell no tales,” declared Thomson, with a long look into his questioner’s eyes. “True,” returned the Colonel with an answering glance. “But let all things be done in decency and order and according to the process of law. This man ain’t no army. There warn’t no need of your raisin’ and chasin’ and burnin’ him like a parcel of idiots.” “’Pears to me you’re d----d finicky ’bout law an’ all that jes’ this particular time,” sneered Bill, with an evil leer on his face. The Colonel eyed him keenly while a look of disgust spread slowly over his speaking face. “Thomson, I gave you credit for having more sense. This man is a British subject. How are we to impress the world with our fair and impartial dealing with all mankind, and the slavery question in particular, if you and a lot more hot-headed galoots go to work and call us liars by breaking the slate?” There were murmurs of approval from the crowd. “Fac’ is thar’s nothin’ fer us to do but to light out, ain’t that the idee, Colonel?” asked Jim Murphy. “That’s the idea, Murphy; burn the wind the whole caboodle of you!” The crowd began to disperse slowly. “All very good,” broke in Thomson with a swagger. “I’ll take mine without the law. I’d ruther stay right here and carry out the programme, it’d be more satisfactory to the boys in the long run. Law is a delusion, as the poet says, an’ a snare. We git plenty o’ law an’ no jestice. S’pose the law lets the prisoner go free? You’ll be a real pop’lar candidate fer Missouri’s next gov’ner.” “No fear of that in this State,” replied the Colonel with an ugly, brutal look that caused a shudder to creep over Warren who was surrounded by the constables. So full of malice were the tone and look that all signs of the polished elderly gentleman and doting father were lost, and one felt that this man could perpetrate any crime, however foul. In spite of the quiet tones the Colonel’s blood was at boiling point because of Thomson’s stubbornness. Titus turned to the constables: “Gentlemen, secure the prisoner. Thomson, fall in there and lend a hand; be quick about it. We’ve had too much of your fool talk a’ready. When I give my men an order, I ’low for them to obey me right up to the chalk mark.” Bill gave him a long look and without a word mounted his horse, and rode away--not with the troop. The constables instantly obeyed the Colonel’s order, and in a second Warren was lifted to the floor of the wagon and driven rapidly toward the jail. CHAPTER XI.