, 1896-04-24
Suddenly Anice paled, and her lips

lel VI LlluultS uOW.
At this moment some one came creep
ing, s~oft-tooted, down the stairs and
peered into the kitchen.
1t was Deering, his face white as a
sheet.
"Fo- heavens sake, mother drop that
gum rushed from his lips like the
kissing of a musket ball. Leaping for
ward, with a sudden spring, he dashed
the heavy weapon from his wife's
hand.
THE game is up" he cried. Let us
make an end Of it."
He strobe toward the front door and
laid a resolute hand upon the key, but
his mother dragged him back.
"Madman" she screamed: and apply
ing her lips to the keyhole. called out
in lusty tones, NO surrender"
Anice had slipped upstairs. She went
from his clothing a heavy overcoat.
buttoned 1t snugly over her breast;
then. taking down from it's peg an old
SLOUGH hat by which he was we'll known
in Garry's Corners, she placed it with
behring's own careless toss upon her
head. taking care that its broad brim
concealed two shell like-ears.
Not a tremor marked her movements
as, raising a window that opened on a
small circular balcony above the front
door, she deliberately stepped out. and
leaning with folded arms against the
pillars hat supported it's pagoda-like
roof, awaited the result.
Suddenly the night was startled anew
by a loud cry, as Daily, standing back
from the others, perceived that silent
figure upon the balcony.
Stand out! stand out! and meet JUS
tice like a man." roared he.
Seven other voices took up and re-
peated the cry: while Deering. within
the house. struggled with his mother,
who could not suffer him to obey that
imperious call.
Then Anice, realizing that the mo-
ment admitted of no indecision. squar-
ed her young shoulders and stepped IL
from the shadow of the pillar.
The resemblance to Roger was strik-
ing. Tall, her figure robed of its slim
ness by the overcoat, and her chestnut
hair hidden beneath the fencing Of the
balcony. and to strike an attitude pecu-
liar to Deering.
There was a heartbeat of intense 81
lence. Then came a low-vioced order
from Daily, and eight pistols rang out.
The maskers. through a cloud of smoke
saw the target on the balcony stretch
up its arms. sway to and fro, then fall
heavily backward.
Shall we force our way through the
house and see that he is dead?" asked
Daily.
Beneath his black cloak Halloran
shuddered. mo. no. enough of this"
he muttered. "Out of eight shots we
may rely on it that n has sent Deer
ing to his last account.
There was a startled cry from Roger
as he heard the discharge Of the pistols,
and, turning to speak to his wife. dis
covered her absence.
Where is Anice?" asked he, with a
horror hat increased as the trampling
of horses feet struck his ear.
Blankly Mrs. Deering echoed his
question, cropping about in the darkness
with extended arms: and for the first
time that night her limbs trembled be,
meath her as she followed her son to
the north chamber.
Roger lifted his wife's body from the
floor Of the balcony, and bent over it
with urgent entreaty that could find ex-
preston only in two words:
Darling! Darling
At which Anice. smiling. opened her
blue eyes.
Il think" she murmured. that l am
only slightly hurt. The bullet hit some
thing that stopped it-and-I-I-don't
know what it was Roger, but"
Deering tore open the overcoat as his
wife tainted in his arms. In the left
breast pocket was a heavy leather wal
let whose condition showed that one of
the pistols was aimed with deadly in
tent. Raising to his lips he covered it
with grateful kisses.
While only a faint glimmer of dawn
touched the uplands two brothers-on
from Garry's Corners. the other from
| Ryerson, the market town--met at a
fork in the road.
John" asked one drawing up the
sorry nag which he bestrode. was the
thing done last night.
Then he from Garry's Corners ans
wered with IN oath:
Yes it was; after firing from inside
for a good half hour the fellow came
out on the balcony. We all fired. Deer
ing's in kingdom come by this time"
WELL returned the other. "if you
had not been SO sure, John. l should
say l saw him. his wife and the old wo-
man. about an hour ago. Three people
passed me ear the depot, and I watch
ed them board an e%ast-bound train.
Thinks I to myself, that man is as like
Deering as two peas in a pod, and that
red and green shawl has a strong look
Of his mother. Then the young one
lifts the window and stares back at me
with the eyes Of Rogers wife,"
John Halloran drew up his horse