The Democratic advocate., 1896-01-04

nously and boded no good to my Impulslve
brother. However, two days passed harm
lessly, during which Jack and | 6shed and
shot together Olier had not reappeared,
and 1 began to breathe more freely.
Doubtlessly he had left the district. He
was an unsettled fellow, at any rate, and
had no property or tie in the village to
tempt his stay.
Twenty miles below the village the dark
Scugog whitens into rapids and is hurled
with gigantic power over lofty precipice.
l had often wished to see the falls, but it
had been hitherto impossible to accomplish
the distance by my single arm. At last
my wish was to be gratifed. A shooting
party was made up by some of the villagers,
and at my urgent request | was included.
The arrangement was to spend night at
the falls, camping out on the bank, and
return the following day Instead of ca
noes we were to sail down in large fat
bottomed boat, termed in Canadian parlance
a scow Strange to say, Jack did not care
about going, saying that he would enjoy
himself more in his own canoe, and as we
were Already crowded for, room we did not
press him to change his resolution.
Our expedition had little in it note
worthy. The river for over 20 miles
sail remained the same monotonous, mel
ancholy Scugog. never varying for the
space of hand. Not vestige of clearance
was there between our village and the falls,
not a glimpse of bank. The trees lined
the waters like wall, and save the wild
game no one ever tried to force way
through their close knit ranks, woofed at
the base by a table of unwholesOme
verdure. This aspect had stern reason
for remembering: The only bright thing
was the patch of cloudless blue sky seen at
the extremity of this long reach Of wood
and water. Over all brooded the intensest
silence No bird trilled us a single
song; all was still save for the lugubrious
woodpecker, which, perched on a rotting
tree, hammered its hollow sides with its
beak. Tap, tap, tap 1t was a most
unearthly sound.
We had seen the stupendous falls in
their lonely majesty and were steering
homeward in our scow. As we neared the
village again, distant only some five or six
miles, the sun was sinking behind the tree
horizon A slight blue haze bathed the
long reaches of the river with ineffable
softness and beauty. We voyaged on a
liquid field of cloth of gold. But ever and
again, marring my intense perception of
its loveliness, came the CHASTITY tap, tap,
tap of the woodpecker. l could not resist
chilly sensation of horror as l listened to
the measured cadence echoing through the
solitude. 1t sounded like coffin maker
hanmering at his dismal task. A relief
suggested itself. Some of my companions
were French Canadians and the evening
before had cheered our bivouac with some
gay refrains of sunny France. asked
them for stave, but I said nothing about
the woodpecker, whose note wished them
to drown. A strong chorus soon van
quished the bird of i'll omen and rang up
the vaulted river recollect the strain
well. 1t was favorite voyagers' ditty,
sung to the dash of the oar.
Suddenly the song lulled, and again |
shuddered as | heard the reverberating
tap, tap of the ominous bird aloft on a
spectral fir. My companions had ceased
rowing, too, and called my attention to a
canoe which was floating down the river a
few yards ahead of us. They thought it
was break loose and stood by to strike a
boat hook into it, with the prospect of a
reward from the owner up at the village.
1t soon dropped down to us and came,
like the note of that ghostly woodpecker,
tapping against our skiff. There was a
stihed cry of horror from the settler at
the bow, aud as we crowded forward to
see what was the matter another cried out
the awful tale of blood, "Here. young
fellow, see your brother-stalked by Olier
as sure there's death in rife bullet 7
1t was an awful end My poor broth
er lay bent over his idle paddle in the ca
noe, weltering in his hearts blood. An
avenging bullet had passed through his
heart. Stalked by Olier Fiendish In
dian, that was thy work, and my brother s
blood rested on thy head l shall not
now detail the agonies of that Indian
summer. Through all my grief ran the
thought Of an exterminating vengeance.
Vengeance? Nay, scant justice. | sought
what has been law since the world began
blood for blood. 1t was vain in those
early times of judicial system in Canada
to seek for a rigorous pursuit from the
dispensers of legal justice. The criminal
executive might be willing, but their arm
was weak Retribution in the trackless
wild of wood and water where dwelt
could proceed only from my own steady
purpose and solitary endeayor.
| could depend but for small aid on the
settlers. Some of them indeed cursed the
foul murder in no stinted speech, but 9TH
ers again imputed little crime to the blood
stained redskin and even went so,far as to
Justify his sneaking 'code of vengeance.
Olier had left the district, but a certain
instinct told me he would ere long come
back again Likely enough he would sup
pose could not long remain in place to
which such hateful memories chung, and
then he might safely venture back. l
waited my time. Safe he was in the tan
gled thicket, but to the end knew that
no covert under heaven would preserve him
harmless from my wrath.
Winter set in, hard and white and cold.
The river Scugog was level road of ice.
The trees were choked up with snow, and
on each side of the ice bound river the
forests lowered like massive cliffs of chalky
rock. No path could now be forced into
the recesses of the forest below our village.
Scarcely had winter settled down for his
undisturbed reign when heard whisper
ings that the villain half breed was again
towering on the outskirts of the settlement.
1t was told me that he was living in kind
of wigwam above the village, and also
that he had more than once come to the
very dwellings of the settlers by night to
visit his friends and obtain various articles
for his camp. knew it would be vain to
49,. - A.. l. H., o., HE 1rso,uva N, N. ~