The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-03-03
litter q FOrger.

was an English journalist, out Of pres
ent employment, and led by love of ad-
venture to become the temporary compan-
f ion of Detective Ballegan of the states.
He was in pursuit OF the adroit forger,
Jules Ingram of Martinique, whose drafts
on various banking houses in the northern
states, had been 50 skilfully executed and
so heavily honorcd as to rouse the entire
bank interest to raise means for his arrest
Ballegan had traced him, with female
accompllce, to the outlet Of Lake Ontario,
among whose many islands he was believ-
ed to be concealed, but here the clue was
lost
1t was on the twelfth day of our ad-
venture, that the detective, sick of care
and exposure, made over to me the boat
and outfit. The waterman rowed me at
dawn to a cove within wolf Island, the
largest of the group; it was lonely place.
removed from either channel of the river.
visible from neither mainland, and out of
sight of every sail and habitation.
made fast my line at three hundred yards &;
the FURNISHED bait skinned the surface
like a star; the rover never tired or slack
ened, and before nine o'clock had taken
score of pickerel, not one of which
weighed less than six pounds. | was now
reminded of breakfast; the island was
near at hand; and as we pulled along the
border to find the landing, a turn in the
coast revealed a comfortable frame dwell
ling, set against ridge Of thick timber,
and thanked by smooth beach. Smoke
curled from its chimney, a boat bordered
on the strand, and dog rose up and
hOwled as our oars awakened him. Di-
rectly, a man and woman appeared at the
door; the former walked down to the
skitf, and leaping into it, sculled rapidly
away, without saying word. The wo-
man received us shyly, but hospitality
She gave my man the use Of fire and ket-
tie; and while he cleaned and prepared
the fish, strolled into the yard to regard
the establishment The wood grew tall
and tangled close to the premises: there
seemed no approach but by the cove; !; the
dwelling was almost without furniture :
neither cattle, nor sheep, nor poultry in
hablted the barn, and the onl y sou!,'!s to
break the general hush were those of wild
birds careening overhead, or the waters
plashing upon the sands. a turn in the
edge of the cedars brought me to Il path.
which pursued curiously. till it stopped
at the brink of a pool or inlet, where a
raft lay moored to the shore. AS similar
channels environed the dwelling, | conclu-
ded that it stood upon a small, separate is
land, and had for this reason escaped our
previous notice. The woman was watch
| ING he from window as | returned
She was handsome, but not prepossessing
a fine animal face, a little di>solute per-
haps, and strangely out of place in this
bleak, secluded country. She was indis-
posed to converse, admitted that she had
lived there but little while, and at length.
weary with ennui, took a yellow covered
book from shelf, and read in uneasy ST.
lence, cycling me at intervals The scene
was oddly composed; painting of it
would have been donable-the bare
floor and walls, the wild pines and ccdarS,
the desolate lawn and water, and this fine,
fashionable, sensual woman, reading a
loose novel amid the ruin. took down
the few books from the shelf: Hunts mcr-
chants Magazine, a pile of shipping lists,
a manuel OF book keeping, a lot of busi-
ness directories, a treatise on commercial
law-;n odd library, surely, for the will
derncss. Revolving these things in my
mind as | ate, made second abhortive
attempt to engage madame's attention,
and at last bade her good bye.
L" Row me to the Canada shore" said
to the waterman, "we will spend a night
with the British Lion'
landed at hamlet near the city OF
Kingston, and proceeded to Il tidy tavern,
stretched myself beneath a window, and
essayed to read a newspaper. Dullness
and fatigue induced drowsiness. | was
halfway into Dream when the entrance
Of somebody disturbed me- a person in a
grey coat had taken up the journal, and
perusing it by the aid of an eye-glass.-
His side and back were turned toward:
me, but thought recognized him as the
>urly occupant of the dwelling in the cove
He was small, 1.-the and gentlemanly; ano
after awhile he took billet from hi:
pocket, folded it, and lighting cigar
threw away the remnant of the paper
n \ commotion of some description now
attracted him to the exterior, and before
| could compose myself to sleep again
> the noise in front grew fierce and bolster
ous. found the stranger wrangling will
knot of Doors who had lately lost some
horses, and were disposed to regard al
: unknown folk as thieves. He was calm
and polite, and having abashed then
somewhat, Withdrew to his vessel ant
: pushed into the stream. AS he stood u
i'll the bateau, and faced me for the frs
d time, the conviction rushed upon me tha
j. this man and Jules Ingram were one. Th
photograph in the possession of Ballaggal
= could have been taken from no other face
i The same small, thoughtful, grizzle
haired man regarded me-there were tn
? eye-glass and the cigar-and as, with
. quick heart, | recalled each shade an,
# feature, the fine lady on the lonely islan'
s came to my memory, the bare dwelling
- was his retreat, the mercantile books wer
his aids to felony-the man before me wa
:. the t0rrer