hem."

"I don't see it," returned Elsie, smiling. "They seem to me only too busy
talking to notice our little attention."

But Mrs. Balis was correct in her conjecture. The boat had passed Madison
some time before the gentlemen arrived there, had paused but a few minutes
and landed no such passenger. Learning this they then telegraphed the
authorities of the next town; waited some hours, and received a return
telegram to the effect that the boat had been boarded, no person answering
the description found; but the captain gave the information that such a
man had been taken on board at Dr. Balis' plantation, and set ashore at
the edge of a forest half-way between that place and Madison.

On receiving this intelligence Mr. Travilla and the doctor started for
home, bringing with them a posse of mounted men headed by some of the
police of Madison.

Dr. Balis had taken with him to Madison the blood-stained coat of Jackson.
From this the hounds took the scent, and on arriving at the wood mentioned
by the skipper, soon found the trail and set off in hot pursuit, the
horsemen following close at their heels.

Our gentlemen did not join in the chase, but having seen it well begun,
continued on their homeward way.

"And you did consent to the use of hounds?" Elsie said inquiringly, and
with a slightly reproachful look at her husband.

"My dear," he answered gently, "having been put into the hands of the
police it has now become a commonwealth case, and I have no authority to
dictate their mode of procedure."

"Forgive me, dearest, if I seemed to reproach you," she whispered, the
sweet eyes seeking his with a loving, repentant look, as for a moment they
were left alone together.

He drew her to him with a fond caress. "My darling, I have nothing to
forgive."

In the cabin at whose door Jackson had made his call and remounted his
steed, a woman--the same with whom his business had been transacted--was
stooping over an open fire, frying fat pork and baking hoe-cake. Bill sat
on his bench smoking as before, while several tow-headed children romped
and quarreled, chasing each other round and round the room with shouts of
"You quit that ere!" "Mammy, I say, make her stop."

"Hush!" cried the woman, suddenly straightening herself, and standing in a
listening attitude, as a deep sound came to the ear, borne on the evening
breeze.

"Hounds! bloodhounds!" cried Bill, springing to his feet with unwonted
energy. "And they're a-c