The Highland weekly news. [volume] (Hillsborough [Hillsboro], Highland County, Ohio) 1853-1886, 1873-02-13

meant!
"I would stake my existence tina
he meant itI Hugh said, fercely
Sand I would stake it, also, that hi
son-a worthy son of such father
was only too glad to fulfill his be
quest, and thus safely to wound an,
sting us! But, thank GodT erie,
the young man, with quickening eyes
'he is alive, and can be held to an ac
count.
'Hugh, are you mad?" demands
Margaret, turning pale as she looke'
at his excited face. "What possibl
reason have you to talk like this
What has Roland Tyrren to do witt
the acts of his father?"
"He has every thing to do witt
them" answered Hugh, coldly. "H,
is his fathers representative, and a
such I shall hold him. Don't b,
afraid that I will make fool of my
self" he went on, impatiently, as ht
met her eyes, full of anxious appeal
''The time has not yet come for
Tyrrell and Churchill to reckon u,
scores. But, sooner or later, it acil
come, and then shall hold him to {
stern account. Do you remember tht
old Corsican custom of the gendetta
It was not a bad idea that, when one
generation had suffered a wrong, an
other should avenge it. Well, have
sworn a vendetta against all of Henry
Tyrrell's blood, and I will never for
get or forsake it SO long as God gives
me life!"
'It was a custom and an idea wor
thy of heathens-not of Christians,
said Margaret.
$50 be it" answered her brother
"All the same, it is mine. Now give
me some pens and paper, that 1 may
answer this lawyer at once"
The lawyer was answered-in what
spirit it is not difficult to imagine
and there Hugh supposed that the
matter would end. 1t was not long,
however, before he learned the errol
of his opinion. Coming home from
work one evening-he was an engin-
eer, in the employ of a. mining com
pany-he met Roland Tyrrell at the
gate of the pretty little cottage where
Margaret and himself lived Advanc-
ing from opposite directions, the two
men came face to face exactly at this
spot.
Through the soft autumn dusk,
Hugh had recognized the tall figure,
moving toward him with a quick, de
cisive tread, and he could not restrain
an emotion of involuntary surprise.
1t did not occur to him for second
that Tyrrell might wish to see him,
and it CHANGED that, in order to be
near the mines, the cottage in which
the Churchills lived was very much
out of the large town of Ridgeford,
and in a suburb chiefly inhabited by
the manufacturing and mining class
for, after its mines, its mills were
the great boast of Ridgeford. They
were very proud, these young people,
and one form of their pride had ever
been to wear their poverty as openly
and bravely as other people make a
point of wearing wealth. Hugh
would have scorned himself if he had
thought that he had sufficient inter
est in Roland Tyrrell to wonder what
he was doing in such quarter at
such en- hour; but, all the same, he
felt surprised to see him.
This surprise was considerably aug
mented when-pausing as they met
Mr. Tyrren quietly lifted his hat
and spoke:
'This is Mr.. Churchill, is it not?"
Then, as Hugh assented, Excuse the
liberty I take in introducing myself,
but I am Roland Tyrrell, and I was
on my way to see you. This'is your
house, is it n.ot?"
''This is my house." answered
Hugh, in whose voice coldness and
amazement seemed struggling for
mastery. 'tBut I confess, Mr.. Tyr
rell, that I am not at all prepared for
the honor which you do me-"
'That is very likely" said Tyrrell,
smiling slightly, though gravely.
"But I have something that I must
say to you, and, if you will allow me,
I should prefer to say it under your
own roof"
What could Hugh reply to this?
Plainly nothing, if he desired to keep
within the bounds of ordinary civility;
and being. with all his faults, a gen
tleman, the young fellow did desire
that whatever he felt should be evinc-
ed, and whatever he had to do should
be done, according to the letter of
that courtesy which especially dis
tinguishes the gentleman from the
churl. He bowed, therefore, though
very coldly, and opened the gate for
his unwelcome visitor.
"Pray walk in" he said.
The other complied, and they walk
ed together up the short path which
led to the door, where no latch-key
was needed, for it stood open to the
dying beauty of the October day, and
showed the bright flicker of a wood
fire from q room within. Sweet and
home-like it looked contrast, in
deed, to the stately, gloomy house
where Roland Tyrrell lived alone
and, as they entered the hall, figure
started up from low chair in front
of the sparkling blaze on the parlor-
hearth.
SIS that you, Hugh?" asked a pleas