The Lamoille news. (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1877-1881, 1877-08-08

.Stand off. l bid ye," said Matte
..you know my aim, Billy Kirby; l
don't crave your blood, but mine and
yourn both shall turn this green grass
red, afore YOU put your foot into the
hut"
While the affair appeared trihing,
the wood-chopper seemed disposed TO
take sides with the weaker party; but
when the firearms were introduced,
his manner very sensibly changed.
I He raised his large frame from the log,
and, facing the hunter with an open
front, he replied
81 don't come here "a your enemy,
Misunderstanding; but / don't vallie
the hollow price of iron in your hand
so much as a broken axe-helve - so,
Squire, say the word, and keep within
the law, and wen soon see who's the
best man of the two"
But no magistrate was to be seen !
The instant the rifle was produced Hi
ram and lothian vanished.
you've skeared the creators off,
said Kirby, with great contempt ex-
pressed on his broad features 'but
you are not going to skear me so,Mr.
Bumppo, down with your gun, or ther'll
soon be trouble 'twixt us"
Natty dropped his rifle, and replied
81 wish you no harm, Billy Kirby;
but leave it to yourself, whether an
old mans hut is to be run down by
such a varmint as them. l won't deny
the buck to you, Billy, and you may
take the skin in, if you please, and
show it as a testimony. The bounty
will pay the fine, and that ought to sat
isfy any man."
"'Twill, old boy, twill, ''cried Kirby,
every shade of dispIasure vanishing
from his open brow at the peace-ofer-
ing; "throw out the hide, and that
shall satisfy the law"
Natty produced the desired testimo-
NAL, and the wOod-chopper departed,
as thoroughly reconciled to the hunter
as if nothing had happened.
Quite commotion was aroused in the
village by the return of Hiram and
lothian after their defeated attempt to
enter the old trapper's cabin. The
con motion was just subsiding, and the
Inhabitants Of the village had begun
to dispense Iiam The little groups they
had formed, when Oliver Edwards, on
his return from the dwelling of Mr..
Grant, encountered the yonHg lawyer,
who is known to the reader as Mr..
Lppet.
"a fine evening, Mr.. Edwards"
commenced the lawyer; "we want
rain sadly that's the worst of this
climate of ours, it's either a drought
or a deluge. It's likely you've been
used to more equal temperatoore?"
Il am a native Of this state" re-
turned Edwards, coldly.
"Well, Pve often heerd that point
disputed, but it's so easy to get a man
naturalized, that it's of little conse-
quence where he was born. | wonder
what course the Judge means to take
in this business Of Natty Bumppo !"
"Of Natty Bumppo!" echoed Ed
wards; "to what do you allude, SIR"
"Havcn't you heerd p exclaimed
the other, with look Of surprise, so
naturally assumed, as completely to
deceive the other; "why, it may turn
out an ugly business. 1t seems that
the old man has been out in the hills,
and has shot buck, this morning,
and that, you know, is a criminal mat
ter in the eyes Of Judge Temple"
ooh! he has, has he" said Ed
wards. "Well, if that be all, he must
even pay the fine"
"Its five pounds currency" said
the lawyer, "could Natty muster so
much money at once"
"Could he ]" cried the youth. 81
am not rich, Mr.. Lippet; but | would
spend the last centto prevent it Be-
sides he has killed two panthers, and the
bounty will discharge the fine many
times over"
eyes, yes" said the lawyer, rub
bling his hands together, with an ex-
preston of pleasure that had no arti-
flee about it; "we shall make it out l
see plainly we shall make it out"
"Make what out, sir? must beg an
explanation"
"Why, killing the buck is but small
matter compared to what took place
this afternoon" continued Mr.. Lippet
with a confidential and friendly air,
that insensibly won upon the youth, as
little as he liked the man. cit seems,
that a complaint was made and Judge
Temple granted a search-warrant''-
GA search-warrantl" echoed Ed
wards, in a voice Of horror. How
much did they discover? What did
they see"
"They saw old Bumppo's rife; and
that is sight which will quiet most
mems curiosity in the woods"
"Did they! did they p shouted Ed
wards, bursting into convulsive
laugh; $50 the old hero beat them
back did he?"
The lawyer fastened his eyes in as
constituent on the youth; but as his
wonder gave way to the thoughts that
wlre commonly uppermost in his mind
he replied
"It's no laughing matter, let me tell
you, sir; it is punishable with both
fine and imprisonment"
imprisonment" repeated Oliver
''imprison the Leather-stockingl no,
no, sir; it would bring the old man to
| his grave.