Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1880-06-18

my poor sister has been avenged. Come,
Norman" addressing his companion,
you will be my second, while he can
select whom he will. II l fall you know
my request. Don't let him escape.
Well, Loren Gray, dare you meet me
like man, or have you only courage
enough to war upon defenseless
womenw
The hermit, fairly writhing under the
treatment he had received, could only
look upon him in silence. The excited
crowd began to hoot at him, and the con-
fusion was becoming orninous of danger
to the trembling man, when the avenger
silenced them with move of his hand.
Then, drawing brace of heavy revol-
vers, he extended them both toward the
other.
"Take one," he said fiercely.. 81 see
you are not armed; brt they are loaded
alike, and you have nothing to fear from
that score"
Without q word the bewildered victim
mechanically took one of the proffered
weapons. Mid the applause of the
crowd, the duelist led the way to the
door, and out into the open air. Jostled
and pushed by the excited spectators,
the hermit slowly followed. Once out
side and the young strangers second be-
gan to measure off the ground for the
duel. As the preliminaries were ar
ranged the duelists took the position as
signed them. The challenger emphatic
ally awaited the slow movements of his
foe.
81 call upon you to Witness" said the
recluse of Lone Cabin, addressing the
spectators, 'that this is no quarrel Of
mine. But after the treatment / have
received from this man, whom l posi-
lively say l have never seen before, am
driven to this. If fall. please see that
l have proper burial. AS last favor ]
beg that you will in no way try to dis
cover my identity. Will you promise
that?"
Receiving the hearty assent of the by
ISLANDERS, the man signifed that he was
in readiness for action.
There succeeded the ominous lone, y
two, three, fire!" when the young stran-
ger discharged his weapon and with such
accuracy that his antagonist reeled for
ward and fell to the earth without max
ing hostile movement.
Smiling grimly the slayer remained
motionless as the spectators rushed to
the side of the fallen man.
"Is he dead?" cried one.
dead as a stone" exclaimed tall,
weather-beaten mountalneer who was
! bending over the silent form.
"Then my work is done, and the
wrongs my poor sister suffered are
avenged!'' said the yotfg stranger as he
turned to join his companion.
Meanwhile some of the others began
to make preparations for the burial oi
the unfortunate hermit.
While couple were in the act Of
raising the body to bear it away, they
were surprised to see the long, flowing
beard worn by the unknown person fall
to the ground, and face as white and
smooth as maidsn's suddenly disclosed
to their gaze.
A glance told them that the Hermit
of Lone Cabin was a woman.!"
In the height of the excitement follow
ing the discovery the stranger duelis
reached the spot, and as he caught sigh
of the fair countenance he cried:
"My God! it is my sister!" and fell
senseless.
To shorten the story, by the time thu
speaker recovered his consciousness after
the fearful shock he had received, tho
wounded one began to show signs o
recovering life.
1t was then found that though th'
shot had barely escaped being fatal, i
was not likely to prove SO. A long sick
ness followed, however, and it wa
months before the whole story wa
known. "The Hermit of Lone Cabin
was indeed the sister of him who ha(
nearly become her murderer. Years be
fore she had met and loved man named
Warren Arnold, but on the day betor
that fixed for their wedding he had dis
appeared and she, broken-hearted, wa
few days after abducted and born ava,
to the mountain retreat of band o
road-agents, the leader of whom wa
none other than her false lover. Nor
grief-stricken than ever, she succeedet
in escaping; but, somewhat crazed
instead of returning to her friends, sh
had sought life of loneliness. He
brother Ralph, who had been away a
school for three years, learned of he
misfortunes and supposed death, and re
turned to his home to begin search 70
the william who had been the cause of s.
much suffering.
Warren Arnold's true name was Lore
Gray, and Ralph ever spoke of him b
that name, though his sister had neve
known him by it. Accompanied by hi
friend, Norman Arlin, he had sought ia
and wide for him, only to make at las
that well nigh fatal error in mistakin
the hermit for his foe. AS his sister ha
not seen him for eight years, and at tn
time when there is the most change i
ones appearance, she had not recognize
, him.
When she was able, they all returne
to their homes a happy company.
Later, Norman Arlin became her hui