Denton and Haughton Examiner, etc. — 1879-03-22 (Denton, Greater Manchester, England)

THE FARMER'S FOUNDLING:  A SCOTTISH STORY.  CHAPTER X.X.—(Cositinued). THE party occupied what Thompson calls " a stupid moment," in looking silently at each other. Then the Newcastle man exclaimed— " What on earth was that?"  13efore any one could iefoli the shriek was repeated, and they all leaped from their seats. " The Philistines are upon us!" cried the Tweedsideman. "Take thy jawbone, Samson!" And, catching up the poker as he spoke, he hastened to the door, followed by all the others. They were met in the by a female servant. sirs! This way, for the love o' Heaven. He'll be murdered elm." " Who ? who?" eagerly demanded the Tweedsideman, as he led the van of the party. The only reply was, "The manter's flue at hame, and Jamie is puirly, and lying dune, an' there's sacbody but us women folk. Hark to 'ern! This way! Quick, or we'll be too late!" She darted along a passage, and, throwing open a door at the end, they entered what appeared to be "the tap" of the establishment. Its occupants were two men, manifestly engaged in a deadly struggle; and it teemed that the fright of the maid had not exaggerated its probable issue, for one was forced down upon the floor, where, with apparently exhausted strength, he struggled but feebly against his more powerful antagonist. The latter, kneeling upon his breast, and with his hands clutching his throat, was evidently bent on nothing short of murder. He raised his head at the noise of the opening door, and exhibited a dark and ferocious countenance, lit up with malignant passions It needed but a glance, however, at the intruders to show him that be was foiled; and springing up from his victim, who lay apparently senseless on the floor, he dexterously avoided the sweep of the Tweedsideman's poker, and made a dash at the door.  The only person near it was Mr. Rule, for the Newcastle man had gone to the assistance of the sufferer in the struggle. The worthy schoolmaster's professional experience in computation enabled him to perceive at a glance that if he attempted to work out the rule of equation of payments with the stranger, the 'result w)uld not be satisfactory, as the payments would be exclusively on the stranger's side, and the receipts on his. He therefore prudently resolved lb pass the question, and retreated from the door. The stranger darted through it, and was gone. A moment after, the boots, the ostlers, and two postboys made their appearance from the yard; but they were too late, for the passage into which the tap-room door opened communicated directly with the street, and all trace of the author of the disturbance was for the time lost. _  The general attention was now directed to the person whom the opportune arrival of Mr. Rule's party had snatched from the jaws of death. A strong restorative had by this time brought him back to consciousness. Be was found, on examination, to have received no injury beyond some severe bruises, and was soon so far recovered as to be able to give an account of the fray. 'The fact is, gentlemen," be observed, "I am a revenue officer; and that fellow—Hector Smith his some is—is well known to have an illicit still up among the hills. We have been trying to get at him this long time; and to-night, as I was going down into the cellar to take the landlord's stock of whisky, the door of the tap happened to be ajar, and I got a glimpse of my man sitting all alone by the tire. I thought it was too good a chance to be lost; so I pounced upon him at once. He is a stronger man than I am, a great deal; but I never let myself think of that when lamin my duty. I had like to have. paid for it this time, though; for he would havp settled me by now if you had not happened to come  "I am right glad we did," said the Tweedsideman. " And if he had not dodged away, from my poker, the settlement would have been on his aide. I am thinking. You most have plonty of pluck in you, gauger. It is not every man would have ventured on that fellow single-handed. You deserve some recompense. Here's half-crown for you." "And here's another !" cried the rest, in succession.  being  " 'And now, said the Newcastle man, "I suppose we may adjourn to our fireside again. He is not very likely to look in again to-night, I expect; but if he should, just ask him to be kind enough to wait till we come."