The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1873-07-18

sawyer Il never Thought twould, Dut
it has, and do you think I'll let my
chance slip now? No, by God p and
the man brought down his fist with a
force that shook the boat-side.
That was hard lines, sure enough,
said Joe, thoughtfully, "but, Mr..
Groom, you was speaking just now of
a girl up at the tavern there She's
my sweetheart, and," added the boat
man, slowly, "she's Sawyer's girl, his
only child.
"No!" exclaimed Groom, evidently
moved by the intelligence. Hetty's
child, he muttered to himself, Het-
tvs child p
"Yes," said Joe, eagerly, "don't
forget whose child she is, and that
you'll make her suffer along with the
old man"
"Ah," said Groom, CHATS all very
well, but l don't forget neither whose
child she is on the other side. No I'm
sorry for the girl, and for you, young
ster, since you've an interest in her, but
I'd have my pay out of John Sawyer
now, if L was to die for 1t.
Joe's grasp frightened convulsively on
his oar. Was the man crazy, thus to
make n boast of the misery he would
cause before one whose advantage and
opportunity it alike was to insure his
silence who had him almost as COM
pletely at his mercy here on this I'M
familiar element as if they two had been
alone in all the earth Ii he were to
die for it Every plunge of the dark
water seemed to be repeating those
words. The boatman reused himself
with start at the sound of his passen-
gers voice.
you're pretty teller, amt you,
now" said the latter, resuming the sub
ject in a lighter tone, wanting to
persuade me to cheat justice after that
fashion %
AS for that" answered Joe, you
said, yourself, if it had been anybody
but Sawyer you wouldn't have troubled
to hunt him down, and can't see as
that's any better notion of justice than
mine. Besides" he added, gravely,
the old mans got his death-sentence
already, if that's what you want what
with the drink, he amt the man he
used to be, and the night of the quarrel
he got a cough that's tearing him all to
pieces; the doctors say he can't live
long, nohow.
"He1l live long enough to make the
acquaintance of rope's-end, L reckon,
said Groom, with coarse laugh, and
that's all care about
The brutal words and manner reused
the lurking devil in Joe Gortons heart.
He stammered out curse, inarticulate
for passion.
Eli ?" said Groom, catching the
sound, but not the words, whats that
you say 2"
The boatman stopped rowing, and
leaned forward till he almost touched
Groom where he sat-
"Just put yourself in the old mans
place for a minute, he began, with an
effort, speaking quietly. "Spose there
was somebody'd got the chance and the
will to get shut o you, just as you. have
of old Sawyer"
What are you driving at now?" in
terrupted Groom. "There amt any,
body, as 1 know of, has got either
more luck for me - he ended, with a
laugh.
"Ain't there ?" said the boatman,
slowly. You talk about justice, Mr..
Groom, he resumed, but it amt JUS
tice you've set out to dots murder.
You've got the law on your side, as it
happens, but all the same, as far rs
you're concerned, it's murder-as bad,
for what L can see, as if somebody's
it might be me"-said Joe, looking
fxedly i'll the others face through the
growing DUSK" somebody with mo-
tive, no matter what, for wanting to be
rid of you, getting you all alone-as it
might be here-out of sight or help,
should just put you quietly out O. the
way"
"Hey dye mean to threaten me ?"
cried Groom, springing up Just then
the breaking gust struck sharp on the
boats side that, left to her own guild
ance, had drifted round she gave a
lurch and a bound that sent Groom,
who, in starting back, had lost has bal
ance, overheard like shot.
Joe stared for an instant at the empty
place opposite, hardly comprehending
what had happened so quickly sudden
as the lightning darling through the
black sky above him, it flashed into his
mind that here were silence and safety,
and that no act of his. "Why not paofit
Ny Ine uccluenl my nOU, III the man
own spirit, in his very words, leave him
to sink or swim, as might be? p" But
Joe could no more be deceived by his
own, than by others sophistries a
voice within him cried eff you leave
this man to die, you are his murderer !"
A great surge of horror and remorse for
the thought that had been in his heart
seemed to sweep him away, and before
the second lightning-bolt could tear the
clouds, he had thrown himself after
Groom.
When the two rose together, the boat
was nowhere in sight. There was moth
ing now for it but to strike out for the
shore. Luckily, the Miihan side was
not now very distinct still, it was hard
stretch through the numbing water, en-
numbered, as he was, with his heavy
clothing and the weight of Groom, who
moreover, himself completely helpless,
held him with nervous clutch that half
strangled him. BY the time they neared
the shore, his strength was pretty well
spent, but the growing lights gave him
heart again he rested an instant for the
final pull, and just then it was that the
gust seized him unprepared and whirl