The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1879-03-20
Squire Coran went to his room t

withstanding the reality OF the
danger, he would not have taken the
pistol; but now he loaded ii with
deadly precision and laid it carefully
in his great coat pocket.
Emma ran to call her brother to say
good by, but she found his door lock-
ed and could get no answer.
Let him alone" said her grand
father; "let him alone; example is
better than precept,' and SO he rode
away.
There was only cloudy moon, bat
the stout hearted traveller knew his
road and was as little likely TO miss
his way on the moor as is a street
Arab to lose himself in London. His
thoughts went before him TO his dy-
ing fTienJ, and his Indignation with
Hugh slowly faded from bis mind,
when, just as n cloud obscured the
moon, he heard the snort OF a spur
red horse, shadow fell to his path, a
hand suddenly caught his bride and
a pistol was pointed at his head.
"Your money or your lifel"
The words were spoken quickly. in
disguised but agitated voice.
There was just light enough 10 see
thai the highwayman was a slightly
built man Of no apparent physical
force, yet the Squire remembered his
vain boast as he felt how completely
he was In tho stripling's power.
There was a moments silence. The
Squile'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 in
the same strange voice, which SEEM
ed full of passion or grief-"I have
heard that you would never yield to
single man. The Squire's 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 Yield TO you," he said
he knew not what prompted him
mot to you alene; but that other fel-
low looking over your shoulder
The robber started suddenly Slnd
turned. Swift as lightning the Squire
aimed his own pistol and fred.
For n moment the moorland seem
ed illumed; out Of the flendish bright
ness came light, sharp, almost
girlish shrek. A second moro all
was dark and quiet, and the Squire
realized that he stood alone In the
moonlight with dead man at his
| feet
A stern man was Latymer Coran
OF CJran, anl ho was not to be
brought to pause on his journey
because he ha! chanced to slay &
thief. Ncr was it the awe and horror
of bloodshed which blanched ant
flushed his cheek as he rode on. No
his rigid justice argued that the mar
| deserved his death, only IL was no
meet that such as he should have be.
trayed an honorable gentleman Il
deceit. For he knew that be hat
verified his boast and saved himself
by a liel
That haunted him as he stood il
the grim chamber OF Wrottel Clock
house and saw the last of his oil,
friend, the county magistrate. III
dispatched no one To the dead rob
ber-time enough for that when b,
returned in the morning.
Then he took officers OF Justice
with him. and these, respecting hi
position and the depression in whicl
he seemed plunged, walked qnietl.
side by side. little way behind hi
horse. At last they reached th
spot where the deadly deed had take
place. To their astonishment littl
} group of people was gathered abou
aud as they drew near they heard
sound OF lamentation, and the SPUR
saw his own livery. servants, one c
them holding the bride OF ri ierles
! horse. They turned startled whit
faces at him as he rode up, and wer
. silent.
"what is the matter?' he demand
ed, imperiously.
"Ohl he Gamma be dead the bonni
laddie!" sobbed an old Scotch groom
3 "Some one has shot Mr.. Hugh
!. said two or three at once.
at must have been a duel" sal
some one, "for the young master hs
his own pistol with him."
The Squire pushed his hors
through the crowd. On the bloot
stained heather lay his antagonist I
the night before-his own grandso
the back OF bis head completed
shattered and stains of blood on b
fair, boyish face. The steward kne
by the corpse. disengaging the pist
: from the stiff grasp of the dead. +
Q looked at it with wondering. bewi
e dered eyes. and said: at has new,
u been loadedl'
a Then the old Squire understood
h all; he understood that the boastft
r. provoking words had aggravate
q Huoh to nut his cnuraDa to the te