He might well be
apprehensive, therefore, of the visits of those who never came but as so
many omens of evil, and whose claims upon, and perfect knowledge of, his
true character, were such, that he felt himself, in many respects, most
completely at their mercy.
Rivers did not give much time to preliminaries, but, after a few phrases
of commonplace, coming directly to the point, he stated the business in
hand, and demanded the assistance of the officer of justice for the
arrest of one of its fugitives. There were some difficulties of form in
the matter, which saved the sheriff in part, and which the outlaw had in
great part over looked. A warrant of arrest was necessary from some
officer properly empowered to issue one, and a new difficulty was thus
presented in the way of Colleton's pursuit. The sheriff had not the
slightest objections to making deputies of the persons recommended by
the outlaw, provided they were fully empowered to execute the commands
of some judicial officer; beyond this, the scrupulous executioner of
justice was unwilling to go; and having stood out so long in the
previous controversy with his spouse, it was wonderful what a vast stock
of audacious courage he now felt himself entitled, and ventured, to
manifest.
Pages:
616
617
618
619
620
621
622
623
624
625
626
627
628
629
630
631
632
633
634
635
636
637
638
639
640