Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1859-05-06

were capital Rarksnen, and had long
been pi,ted against each Other 10 every
manly sport. Hilton was very power
fully bult-in strength perfect sam
son, and always covetiug rather than
avoiding the peril Of personal encounters
never so happy as when he could pro.
yoke quarrel aud mix up his terrible
powers with others. Herbert Vaughn
was exactly the reverse; slightly built.
with great length and sinew in limb,
broad ehesteu, with fair, bold fore
head, raven hair V nich hung III profn-
SION OF euris en- his neck, aud u brilliant
black eye, expressive aud rogush =
There was always smile on his baauti-
fui yet manly face, while sort of fclni-
nine grace seemed to mark his every
Increment; yet none could surpass him
III personal prowess, aud but few could
excite him To anger; and ever with a
kind and jocose word for his acquaint-
ances, he was loved almost as Rob Hill,
ton was despised.
The toss up of a dime gave Hilton
the first shot, and stepping forward he
drew his rife to his shoulder and pulled
the trigger; the ball cut the edge of the
paper and buried itself deep in the tree
A miss !" cried half dozen voices.
Can't expect anything else, growled
Hilton, when man sprawls his paper
all over the tree. But no matter; he
cau't more than cover mine, and the next
tune I'll hide the nail for you"
Stepping as slowly as though about to
draw upon deer, Vaughn lowered his
gun to its place; his chest heaved, his
eye dilatcd, and all watched his fire with
eagerness. After taking steady aim a
minute, the trigger was pulled; the
paper disappeared in an instant, and a
wild shoat, shrill as an Indian war
uhoop. proclaimed Herbert Vaughn the
victor.
Every hand but one was osten5ed to
greet the victorious youth; every face
but one was lit up wifl. SMILE at his
unexpected success-that one was Robert
Eiilton's. He spoke not word. he
breathed no oath but upon his face there
cleaned demoniac fury, betokening any
thing but good to his victorious adver-
sary.
Pm glad, my boy, you've got such
good blood in you" exclaimed Gordon,
grasping Vaughn cordially by the hand !;
"A like to sec a fellow modest, like You. :"
i've no notion of Dragging" re-
piled Vaughn. 1T was only luck, after
all; and If hace beat, let it 20 at that.
But, Roget"
Suddenly the sharp, quick report of
rifle was heard from the thicket, and
simultaneously Herbert Vaughn dropped
to the ground like dead limb. In an
instant the blood was gushing from the
sleeve Of his hunting shirt in torrent,
aud his cheek was blanobed as driven
snow. All present for single moment
seemed struck dumb with wonder by the
dfesiful occurrence, and then the dis
charge Of half dozen rides into the
thicket was followed by breathless
parse--all eager % catch the sound of a
body falling to the earth
" After him, every one Of you p ex-
claimed Gordon, lifting the head Of the
! wounded man. - aud lie one who
brings him shall have all she credit of
tins days hunt"
Four of the best runners we're instant
ly on the track; and "a half mile of. upon
tae slope of hill, something might
have been dlsccrned like fox at full
speed, so swift was its progress. 1t was
lt0Dert Hilton, the Ontlaw, in full fight
for the river. Poor Vaughn was at
agtl subjected 10 IN examination, aud
the wound, though pretty severe one,
beng made with a ragged bullet, was
principally confined 10 ne Fl Thy part Of
his arm, and therefore nis ifc was il no
Immediate danger. The sNilful baud Of
li0ger Gordon dressed the wound. aud
wifli Il little assistance Vaughn was en-
ablcd TO get home Away over bin aud
dale few his enraged comrades, like IT,
gers in search Of prey; reckless of the
choicest game standing as if ready to be
taken, they sped furiously onward, only
rent upon seeking for the game whose
hearts blood should be shed upon the
altar Of their revenge
But when night came they had no
trail OF him. aud when they returned
home they had the mcager consolation
that ono life had been spared that would
otherwise have been sacrificed; and Rob
Hilton, tue murderer, once the bosom
fiiend. had escaped vengeance
Herbert Vaughn, after the quarrel
recorded above, became an altered man.
NO smile or pleasant word, no old and
iayorite joke passed his lips; and at last
one stormy night, when all the elements
seemed yieiug in their discord, he left
his fathers house. and after several day 5
absence, when search was made for him,
he was nowhere to be found.
Many years passed. The old Ken
lucky homes vanished with the depart
ing patriarchs who sat under their roof
trees, and Of all the athletic company
who trystcd on that au sum day bcueafb
the broad old oak not one was there to
mark its autumn leaves or take shelter
meath its shade.
Among the cabins along the Platte
river, whose inhabitants were destined
TO become the strength aud safeguard Of
growing Kansas, might have been point
ed out that Of Roger Gordon, an emf
grant from Kopiucky, unbiased, intre-
pid, and courageous, and whom one can
easily recognize as the generous umpire
in the former episode Of our narrative.
One morning while be was busily en-