Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1860-04-13
sKAIlNs For LEE AND REVENGE.

dersiand the point It Is necessary to pre-
mise that Oliet, a half-breed, had previ-
ously murdered brother of the narrator
and pursuer, for which act this relentless
vengeance is taken:
Night after night, lay concealed at
the bluff, awaiting the murderer; was
armed with pistols and wore skates
Skating was an amusement which had
excelIed in when a school boy, and facil-
ity in the art was of the last importance
to my scheme of retribution. At length
he came. 1t was an exquisite night; the
white expanse around sparkled in the
sheen of Canadian moon, which sailed
calmly through a cloudless sky. l could
have shot the villain as he skated by me
within fifty yards, but would not risk
the chance, and besides my vengeance
cried for a sterner fate than death by the
pistol. No sooner was he past my hiding
place, than, with shout of exultation, !
started on his track. Oliet swerved a
moment to see who his pursuer was,
then, quick as lightning, tried to double
up the river again. But had anticipa-
ted this, and with a cooked pistol in either
hand, barred his passage. With a
curse he turned, and sped swiftly down
! the ice.
And now the race for life began. Mile
after mile we swept along in silence
An awful, portentious silence it was,
through which nothing broke save the
hollow boom OF the swift steel cutting its
way over the imprisoned Scugog. The
moon lit me noby to my vengeance
He could not escape me, for | found with
savage glee that | was a match for the
swift-footed Indian. Oliet became aware
of this, too, for now and again he would
skate close to the woods, looking for an
aperture. But no there was but one
outlet from the walled-in-river, and that
was oUer the falls.
Faster and faster we skated toward,
the cataract. 1t could not be far off.
pictured TO myself what Oliet's thought.
might be. Did he know whittier he wa
fastening? or had that awful light yet t.
fash upon his guilty mind ? The half
breed made answer to my thought.
saw him in the pale simmer start con
2 vulsively, and throw his arms in the air
but he dared not stop, and on he darted
4 with a yell of despair, which echoed
} wild like up the channel. Another SCUM,
came to my ear, and knew what cause,
e that cry of agony to burst from Oliet,
g was the dull thunder of the falls W
were nearing them fast. Still the wall
a of snow shut in my victim, and ever
moment lessened his frail hopes of escape
7, One chance was left for him-to distanc
= me, and hide somewhere in the sno,
d from my scrutiny. Vain hope-the win
D. Of the bird could scarce have saved him
y Hoarser and louder grew the noise
is the waters. If l thanked the Almight
that the murderer was delivered into N
'b hands, l humbly trust that it may be 70
IN given me now. From the time hs
started on Oliet's track, we maintaint
to exactly the same distance between US
he perhaps hundred or a hundred al
I'd fifty yards. l still grasped my load'
pistols, ready for any stratagem on Il
NJ part of the murderer.
th And now the crash of the falls can
loud and ominous on the ear
rr Another five minutes would decide L
ia hunt. Suddenly Oliet stood at bay. I
ce was not armed, l felt certain of that
.ly along, for otherwise he would ha
measured strength with me before,
on Without abating my pace, skated do1
81 upon him, holding pistol in each har
en- Still my purpose was as fixed as ey
he only to shoot the villain as a last reso
en- When / was within twenty yards of hi
,os the coward faltered, and again turn
swiftly down the river. With Yell
lso laugh pursued him, pressing still me
.ou holly on his track.
e Deafening was the roar of the catara
49,. high in the pale sky assembled the mi
Of the spray, through which the splinter
lines of the moonlight darted in rainb
-; tinted beauty. l could see directly
=, Jagged line of the ice, where it was brok
n. by the rapids Immediately above the c
,ol aract, and beyond could trace the d.
.ra volume of the Seugog, as it emerged fir
its prison of snow and ice. For an
slant the half-breed turned his face
wards me, as | pursued witlrconeentra
=, hate on his footsteps; never shall
get the horrible despair that distorted
villains features. 1t was mercy t
the sulIen roar of the falls drowned
curses-I knew that be was shrek
curses on me-for they would b