The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1901-08-16

- VRAlG HUM SUN never drew
III truer simile-and he was
ks$-61 full OF them - than he did
Sg when, while advising with
Isle, he assured him that he could not
throw loop over circumstance and
drag ii along. a willing captive. as they
did the steer, clinching his argument
with the additional statement, Its
got a way Of slipping out and roping
you instead" 1t Is the experience Of
every man sooner or later to be roped
in by circumstance and, although Rich
ard Maxwell had battled with and de-
fed events all his life. he, like others,
was destined at last to fall q victim to
that willy foe which knows so well how
10 watch and wait.
AS soon as the guests had partaken
of the ample supper which All Sin had
provided they were shown to their
rooms, for the fatigues Of the day had
at last forced even the vivacious ener-
gy Of Erna Thomas to surrender. Then
father and son also parted for the
night.
Both were strangely silent, and nei-
ther noticed that the other was so.
The house had not been planned for
entertainment, and particularly had fe-
male guests and their many require
ments been left out of the plans Of
construction and furnishing. There
was only one room within it that was
at all adapted to the uses of a woman,
~ nj I fCIn
young lady had been shown. The Ii
brary couch was roomy and cOmforta-
BILE, and upon that Lisle threw himself
after the others had retired. 1t was a
much softer bed than he required for n
good nights rest.
Richard MaXwelrs bedchamber ad-
joined the library, and the two were
connected by n door, which was rarely
closed. the portieres suspended from
the frame above it doing ample service
in the matter Of isolating one from the
other.
Lisle selected book and read or APP
peared to read long after his father
had retired. At last he put it down, di-
vested himself Of his boots, coat and
waistcoat, loosened his belt and hav-
ing covered himself with a Navajo
blanket, went speedily to sleep.
During the night he was awakened.
An unusual sound startled him, and he
sat erect, listening, impressed with the
idea that his father had called. He
rose and tiptoed to the door, pulled the
curtains aside and peered into the room.
The moon, now respondent, shone in
at the window and athwart his fathers
bed, and Lisle could see him plainly.
did you speak, fatherW he asked In
a low tone, SO that the sleeper might
GOT be disturbed if he were mistaken,
and, receiving no reply, he returned to
the couch and composed himself to
sleep again. He remained wide awake,
however, while hour after hour passed
by, thinking upon those perpleXing
problems which refused sufficiently to
shape themselves for recognition. The
moon passed over the house and set
tied in the west. The heavens took on
q transparent hue in the east. Dawn
was near at hand when he was again
startled by repetition of the sound
that he had heard before. This time
he was not sleeping. He knew there
could be no mistake. The noise came
his father
He leaped to his feet and hurried
past the portieres straight to his IA
theirs side and came upon a sight
which filled him with sudden and un-
namable horror.
Richard Maxwell was lying upon his
back. His eyes were wide open and star
ing. There was deathlike, leaden pal
Tor upon his face, which in the imper-
feet light seemed CHASTITY. He was
breathing, but that was the only sign
of life that was evident.
Lisle knelt down beside him, chafed
his hands and called to him, but the
stricken man made no reply except to
utter that half articulate groan which
already had alarmed his son. The
young man procured restoratives, but
they were of no avail. He endeavored
TO force brandy between his fathers
lips. but Richard Maxwell could not
swallow. He chafed his hands, but
they were cold and deathlike in his
grasp. Power of motion seemed to
have been retained only by the optic
muscles, for whichever way Lisle turn
ed his fathers eyes followed him with
agonized entreaty.
Dawn increased and developed into
day while Isle worked over his ia
ther, but his extremities became colder
and colder. so that at last, with that
intuition which is horn Of parental