The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-03-07

Squire remembered his vain boast as he
felt how completely he was in the strip
ling's power. There was moments 81
lence. The Squire's hand was in his
great-coat pocket. Did the robber think
he was getting his purse? Did the
Squire know he was searching for his
pistol?
The highwayman spoke again m the
same strange voice, which seemed full
of smothered passion or grief-"I have
heard that you would never yield to
single man." The Squires blood
boiled at the implied taunt, but yet the
pistol was terribly near his head, and
he felt that in such case neither strength
nor courage can always win the victory.
"Nor would 1 yield to you,' he said
he knew not what prompted him
mot to you alone; but that other fellow
looking over your shoulder"
The robber started shudderingly and
turned. Swift as lightning the Squire
aimed his own pistol and fired.
For a moment the moorland seemed
lumined; out of the fiendish bright
ness came light, sharp, almost girlish
shrek A second more all was dark
and quiet, and the Squire realized that
he stood alone in the dim moonlight
with dead man at his feet.
A stern man was Latymer Coran, OF
Coran, and he was not to be brought to
pause on his journey because he had
CHANGED to Stay thief. Nor was it the
awe and horror of bloodshed which
blanched and flushed his cheek as he
rode on. No, his rigid justice argued
that the man deserved his death, only
it was not meet that such as he should
have betrayed an honorable gentleman
| to deceit. For he knew that he had
verified his boast and saved himself-by
lie!
That haunted him as he stood in the
grim chamber of Wrottel Clock-house
and saw the last of his old friend, the
county magistrate. He dispatched no
one to the dead robber-time enough
for that when he returned in the morn
ing.
Then he took officers of justice with
him, and these, respecting his position
and the depression in which he seemed
plunged, walked quietly side by side, a
little way behind his horse. At last they
reached the spot where the deadly deed
had taken place. To their establishment
little group of people was gathered
about, and as they drew near they heard
sound of lamentation, and the Squire
saw his own livery servants, one of them
holding the bride of riderless horse.
They turned startled white faces to him
as he rode up, and were silent.
"What is the matter?" he demanded,
imperiously.
"Oh! he Gamma be dead the bonnie
laddie!" sobbed an old Scotch groom.
"Some one has shot Mr.. Hugh" said
two or three at once.
at must have been duel, said some
one, "for the young master has his own
pistol with him."
The Squire pushed his horse through
the crowd. On the blood-stained heath
er lay his antagonist of the night before
his own young grandson 1.-The back
of his head completely shattered and
stains of blood on his fair, boyish face.
The steward knelt by the corpse, olsen
gaging the pistol from the stiff grasp of
the dead. He looked at it with wonder
ing, bewildered eyes, and said: at
has never been loaded"
Then the old Squire understood il
all; he understood that his boastful
provoking words had aggravated Hugh
to put his courage to the test in the
hope of convincing him that there is no
trial of bravery between an honest man
and robber. And the Squire under
stood also that had that, unloaded pis-
toll been what it had seemed, he, the
Honorable Coran of Coran, had only es-
capped by lie!
II did it !" he said, gloomily, and the
two deferential officers Of justice came
and stood at either side of Latymer
Coran, and his own servants fell back
in horror and dismay. Alas! for the
twice-bereaved woman waiting and
weeping, and as yet hoping, in the
proud old castle towers!
Latymer Coran was spared the igno-
miny of trial-he did not even live
to hear that the Coroner's jury returned
q verdict of misadventure." Tho stout
old heart was broken.
Hughs funeral was delayed but sim
gle day that his grandfather and he,
"the last of the Corans," might be
buried together. Their names, the
murderer and the murdered, were writ
ten on one tablet. Not q word was
said of their ancient and honorable lin
cage, nor of the tragedy in which both
lives closed-only their names and their
ages, the old man and the boy, and the
text:
Fathers, provoke not Your children
to anger"