d him not only to acceptance
of Zeke with affection and confidence, but also to toleration of, and
alliance with, the "revenuers," whom he had so consistently hated
through a long lifetime. Zeke refrained however, from any open
expression of his amazement, and at once joined the other men in
devising a plan of operations to be begun at dawn.

It was decided that Uncle Dick should accompany the marshal and Brant,
with the stag-hound, to the tracks of Hodges and Plutina on the north
face of Stone Mountain, near Sandy Creek, where the dog could take up
the scent, in the hope of solving the mystery that had baffled the
human searchers.

Then Uncle Dick interposed a suggestion that suited Zeke well.

"If so be," he exclaimed abruptly, "as how Dan Hodges is atop
thet-thar mounting, an' he gits the dawg nigh the precipice, he might
throw the critter over. He's powerful strong, Dan is, an' desprit."

"Yes, the fellow's capable of it," Stone agreed.

"I'm a-thinkin' as hit mout be well fer Zeke to git atop the mounting
fust off," Uncle Dick continued, "an' watch out fer Hodges. Hit's
pretty open up thar, and easy to waylay a body."

"I'll go," Zeke declared, with eagerness.

The marshal directed the men of the posse to scatter to various points
on the railway lines.

"Hodges'll probably try to get out of the country, the minute he hears
the hound after him," Stone explained. "All of my men have seen him,
and they'll be able to stop him, if he manages somehow to cover his
scent from the dog, and get off."

Sutton, much against his will, was forced to remain inactive at the
cabin as he was not physically fitted for the hard tramping over the
mountains.

Zeke was the prey of emotions too deep to permit much interest in a
stranger, but he had a friendly, if wan, smile for the veteran, whom
he remembered from their single meeting. He attempted a display of
attention on hearing of the marriage so recently achieved, but the
effort failed pitifully. Seth Jones, however, took no offence, since
he understood how great must be the young man's misery. On the
contrary, his sympathies were deeply stirred, and he essayed a few
words meant to comfort.

"An' I reckon I'll go 'long with you-all, Zeke, in the mornin'," he
concluded.

But Zeke shook his head at the offer.

"I got to cross over home fer my rifle-gun," he explained, vaguely.

"I clean fergot to tell ye," Uncle Dick cried. "Yer rifle-gun's hyar,
Zeke. I done fotched