He stepped aside to let it pass, but the driver pulled up abreast of him with a loud command to his horses.
"Heard the news ?" he asked, leaning out over the dash-board of his buggy.
"What news ?" asked North.
"Oh, I guess you haven't heard!" said the stranger.

"Well, old man McBride, the hardware merchant, is dead! Murdered!" "Murdered!" cried North.
"Yes, sir,--murdered! They found him in his store this evening a little after six.

No one knows who did it.

Well, good night, I thought maybe you'd like to know.

Awful, ain't it ?".