It would be, I knew, impossible to pro complicity on the part of the owner of th boat with the escaped felon, and I preferre to digest the venom of my spleen in silenc rather than by a useless display of it to ad to the chuckling delight of the old rascal of boatman.

We had passed some distance along th quay, when one of the local officers, address ing a youngish sailor, who, with folded arm and a short pipe in his mouth, was standin in philosophical contemplation of the sea an

of the emigrant ship that sailed awhile ag putting in at any port along the coast ?”

We then turned our faces toward Plymouth, from which, I was surprised to find, we were apparently as distant as ever. "The tide, let alone the wind, is dead against us!" growled the master of the boat, who was now pulling the near oar, in reply to a remark from one of the Plymouth officers. This man had steered on going out. A quick suspicion flashed across me. "Where is the other boatman who came out with us?" I sharply demanded. The old seaman, instead of replying, turned himself half round toward the weather-bow oar, exclaiming, "Easy, Bil-weather, said, "I suppose there is no chanc ly-easy; let her nose lie a little closer to the wind!" This, I readily saw, was done to conceal a momentary confusion, arising from the suddenness of my question-a very slight one, by-the-by, for the fellow was an old man-of-war's man, with a face hardened and bronzed by service, weather, grog, and tobacco smoke. I repeated the question in a more peremptory tone. The veteran first deliberately squirted a mouthful of tobacco juice over the side, and then with an expression of his cast-iron phiz, which it is impossible by words to convey a distinct idea of, so compounded was it of diabolical squint, lamblike simplicity, and impudent cunning, replied, "That wor a passenger to Yankee Land-a goin' there, I'm purty suspicious, for the benefit of his health." I looked at the Plymouth officers, and they at me. The impudent ingenuity of the trick that had been played us seemed scarcely credible. "He-he-ho-ho!" rumbled out of the tobacco-stifled throat of the old rogue," If he wor somebody you wanted, it wor uncommon well done. Didn't you obsarve him jump into the main chains of the barkey jist as you wor leavin' on her, and cast us off a minute afterward? He prefarred stoppin' with us whilst your wor rummagin' the nooker-he -he-ho-ho!"

It was useless bandying words with the fellow; and though I felt desperately savage, I had sense enough to hold my tongue. "Pull smartly," said one of the Plymouth officers; "a shot will bring her to yet."

"Why, ay," rejoined the imperturbable seaman; "it mout, if you could get speech of the admiral in time; but I'm thinkin' we shall be a good while yet pullin' in against this choppin' wind and head sea."

And sure enough they were! More than another hour, (by some boatmen-craft unexplainable by me, for the sailors apparently rowed with all their might,) were we in reaching the landing-place; and by that time all

The man took the pipe from his mouth regarded the questioner for a few momen with an expression of contemptuous curiosit anything but flattering to its object, an bawled out, addressing himself to a weather beaten seaman a few yards off, "I say, Tor Davis, here's a Blue Bottle as wants to know the name and bearins of the port off th Land's End, which the barkey that saile awhile agone for Ameriker, with a north easter kicking her end ways, is likely to brin up in: I'm not acquainted with it myself, o else I'd tell the gentleman."

The laugh from two or three bystander which followed this sally, greatly irritate the officer, and he would have indulged i an angry reply had not his more pruder comrade taken him by the arm and urge him away.

"Ay, ay," said the veteran addressed a Tom Davis, as we were passing him, "Ji there has always got plenty of jawing tackl aboard; but, Lord love ye, he's a poor dum cretur at understanding the signs of the weɛ ther! He's talkin' about north-easters, an don't see that the wind is beginning to cho about like a bumboat woman with a doze customers round her. It's my opinion, an Tom Davis ought by this time to be summ of a judge, that, instead of a north-easter, it a precious sight more likely to be blowing sou'-wester before two hours are past, and sneezer, too; and then the Columby, if sh ha'nt made a good offin', which she is n likely to have done, will be back again in

brace of shakes."

much," said the old seaman, turning on his
heel.
"All I can say is, that if you find in
an hour or so's time that the wind has chop-
ped round to the sou'-west, or within a p'int
or two, and that it's blowin' the buttons off
your coat one after another, the Columby, if
she's lucky, won't be far off."

The half-bantering prediction of the old
seaman was confirmed by others whom we
Consulted, and measures for preventing our
quarry from landing, and again giving us the
slip, were at once discussed and resolved
upon. We then separated, and I proceeded
o the tavern at which I had put up to get
some dinner. I had not gone far, when my
eye fell upon two persons, whose presence
there surprised as well as somewhat grieved
me. One was the young wife of the crimi-
hal on board the Columbia. I had seen her
once in London, and I knew, as I before in-
imated, that she was of respectable parent-
ge. There was no exultation in her counte-
ance. She had, no doubt, followed or ac-
companied her husband to Plymouth for the
purpose of furthering his escape, and now
eared that the capricious elements would
ender all the ingenuity and boldness that
ad been brought into play vain and profit-
ess. She was a mild-looking, pretty woman
-very much so, I doubt not, till trouble
ell upon her, and wonderfully resembled the
emale in the "Momentous Question;" so re-
markably indeed, that when, years afterward,
first saw that print, I felt an instantaneous
onviction that I somewhere met with the
riginal of the portrait; and after much puz-
lement of brain, remembered when and
here.
The resemblance was doubtless
urely accidental; but it was not the less
xtraordinary and complete. She was ac-
ompanied by a gray-haired man of grave,
espectable exterior, whom I at once con-
luded to be her father. As I passed close
y them he appeared about to address me,
nd I half-paused to hear what he had to
y; but his partly-formed purpose was
ot persisted in, and I proceeded on my

ay. After dining, I returned to the quay. The ind, as foretold, was blowing directly from he south-west; and during the short space time I had been absent, had increased to a mpest. The wild sea was dashing with errific violence against the break water, disernable only in the fast-darkening night by line of white tumultuous foam and spray,

ously spoken with; "the Columbia will, I think, be pretty sure to run in with the tide."

46

When do you say is the very earliest time she may be expected?"

"Well, in my opinion, judging from where she was when I was on the look-out a quarter of an hour agone, not under three hours. Let me see. It's now just upon the stroke of five about eight o'clock, I should say, she will be here; certainly not before, perhaps much later; and if the captain is very obstinate, and prefers incurrring a rather serious risk to returning, it may be of course not at all."

I thanked him; and as remaining on the bleak quay till eight o'clock or thereabout was as useless as unpleasant, I retraced my steps toward the Royal George Tavern, calling, in my way, on the Plymouth officers, and arranging that one of them should relieve me at ten o'clock-it having been previously agreed that we should keep an alternate watch during the night of two hours each. I afterward remembered that this

arrangement was repeated, in a tone of voice incautiously loud, at the bar of a publichouse, where they insisted upon my taking a glass of porter. There were, I should say, more than a dozen persons present at the time.

The fire was blazing brightly in the parlor of the Royal George when I entered, and I had not been seated near it many minutes before I became exceedingly drowsy; and no wonder, for I had not been in bed the previous night, and the blowing of the wind in my eyes for a couple of hours had, of course, added greatly to their heavy weariness. Habit had long enabled me to awake at any moment I had previously determined on, so that I felt no anxiety as to oversleeping myself; and having pulled out my watch, noticed that it was barely half-past five, wound it up, and placed it before me on the table, I settled myself comfortably in an arm-chair, and was soon sound asleep.

I awoke with a confused impression, not only that I had quite slept the time I had allotted myself, but that strangers were in the room, and standing about me. I was mistaken in both particulars. There was no one in the parlor but myself, and on glancing at the watch, I saw that it was but a quarter past six. I rose from the chair, stirred the fire, took two or three turns about

again, and took up a newspaper which was lying on the table."

I had read for some time, when the parlor door opened, and who should walk in but the young wife and elderly gentleman whom I had seen in the street. I at once concluded that they had sought me with reference to the fugitive on board the Columbia; and the venerable old man's rather elaborate apologies for intrusion over, and both of them seated on the side of the fireplace opposite to me, I waited with grave curiosity to hear what they might have to say.

An awkward silence ensued. The young woman's eyes, swollen with weeping, were bent upon the floor, and her entire aspect and demeanor exhibited extreme sorrow and dejection. I pitied her, so sad and gentle. did she look, from my very soul. The old man appeared anxious and careworn, and for some time remained abstractedly gazing at the fire without speaking. I had a mind to avoid a painful, and, I was satisfied, profitless interview, by abruptly retiring, and was just rising for the purpose, when a fiercer tempest-blast than before, accompanied by the pattering of heavy rain-drops against the window-panes, caused me to hesitate at exposing myself unnecessarily to the rigor of such a night; and, at the same moment, the grayhaired man suddenly raised his eyes, and regarded me with a fixed and grave scrutiny.

"This war of the elements," he at last said, "this wild uproar of physical nature, is but a type, Mr. Waters, and a faint one, of the convulsions, the antagonisms, the hurtful conflicts ever raging in the moral world." I bowed dubious assent to a proposition not apparently very pertinent to the subject, which I supposed chiefly occupied his mind, and he proceeded.

My name,

.

Waters, I believe," he after a few momen
added in a much more business-like and se
sible tone, "that the Columbia will be forc
back again, and that the husband of this u
happy girl will consequently fall into t
hands of the blind, unreasoning law. .
You appear surprised.
should have mentioned, is Thompson: and
assured, Mr. Waters, that when the real fac
of this most unfortunate affair are broug]
to your knowledge, no one will more bitter]
regret than yourself that this tempest an
sudden change of wind should have flun
back the prey both you and I believed ha
escaped upon these fatal shores."

"From your name, I presume you to b the father of this young woman, and

"Yes," he interrupted; "and the father in-law of the innocent man you have hunte down with such untiring activity and zeal But I blame you not," he added, checking himself "I blame you not. You have onl done what you held to be your duty. Bu the ways of Providence are indeed inscruta ble!"

A passionate burst of grief from the pale weeping wife, testified that, whatever migh be the fugitive husband's offences or crime against society, he at least retained her affec tion and esteem.

"It is very unpleasant," I observed, "t discuss such a subject in the presence of re latives of the inculpated person, especially as I as yet perceive no useful result likely to arise from it; still, since you as it were force me to speak, you must permit me to say that it appears to me you are either grossly deceived yourself, or attempting, for some purpose or other, to impose upon my credu lity.'

"Neither, sir-neither," replied Mr. "It is difficult for dim-eyed beings such Thompson with warmth. "I certainly am as we are always to trace the guiding hand not deceived myself, and I should hope that of the ever-watchful Power which conducts my character, which I doubt not is well the complex events of this changing, many-known to you, will shield me from any suscolored life to wise and foreseen issues. The picion of a desire to deceive others." conflicts of faith with actual experience are hard for poor humanity to bear, and still keep unimpaired the jewel beyond price of unwavering trust in Him to whom the secrets of all hearts are known. Ah, sir! guilt, flaunting its vanities in high places-innocence in danger of fetters-are perplexing subjects to dwell upon !"

I was somewhat puzzled by this strange talk, but, hopeful that a meaning would presently appear, I again silently intimated partial concurrence in his general views.

"I am quite aware, Mr. Thompson, of your personal respectability; still you may be unwittingly led astray. I very much regret to say, that the evidence against your daughter's husband is overwhelming, and I fear unanswerable."

"The best, kindest of husbands !" broke in the sobbing wife; "the most injured, the most persecuted of men!"

"It is useless," said I, rising and seizing my hat, "to prolong this conversation. If he be innocent, he will no doubt be acquit

seven o'clock, I must beg to take my leave | to doubt the truth of what you have told me ; of you." but my duty is a plain one, and must be performed."

"One moment, sir," said Mr. Thompson hastily. "To be frank with you, it was entirely for the purpose of asking your advice as an experienced person that we are here. You have heard of this young man's father?" "Joel Masters ?—Yes. A gambler, and otherwise disreputable person, and one of the most specious rascals, I am told, under the sun."

"You have correctly described him. You are not perhaps acquainted with his handwriting?"

“Tell me frankly, honestly," cried the half-frantic woman, with a renewed burst of tears, "if, in your opinion, this evidence will save my unhappy, deeply-injured husband? My father, I fear, deceives me-deceives himself with a vain hope."

I hesitated to express a very favorable opinion of the effect of a statement, obnoxious, as a few moments' reflection suggested, to so much suspicion. The wife quickly interpreted the meaning of my silence, and Yes, I am; partially so at least. I have broke at once into a flood of hysterical lamena note in my pocket-here it is-addressed tation. It was with the greatest difficulty I to me by the artful old scoundrel, for the pur-kept life in her by copious showers of water pose of luring me from the right track after his son."

"Then, Mr. Waters, please to read this letter from him, dated Liverpool, where it appears he was yesterday to embark for America."

The letter Mr. Thompson placed in my hands startled me not a little. It was a circumstantial confession addressed by Joel Masters to his son, setting forth that he, the father, was alone guilty of the offence with which his unfortunate son was charged, and authorizing him to make a full disclosure should he fail in making his escape from the country. This was, I thought, an exceedingly cheap kind of generosity on the part of honest Joel, now that he had secured himself by flight from the penalties of justice. The letter went on to state where a large amount of bank-notes and acceptances, which the writer had been unable to change or discount, would be found.

"This letter," said I, "is a very important one; but where is the envelope?"

Mr. Thompson searched his pocket-book: it was not there. "I must have dropped it," he exclaimed, "at my lodgings. Pray wait till I return. I am extremely anxious to convince you of this unfortunate young man's innocence. I will not be more than a few minutes absent." He then hurried out.

I looked at my watch: it wanted five-andtwenty minutes to eight. "I have but a very few minutes to spare," I observed to the still passionately-grieving wife; "and as to the letter, you had better place it in the hands of the attorney for the defence."

from the decanter that stood on the table. This endured some time. At last I said abruptly, for my watch admonished me that full ten minutes had been passed in this way, that I must summon the waiter and leave her. "Go-go," said she, suddenly rallying, "since it must be so. I-I will follow."

I immediately left the house, hastened to the quay, and, on arriving there, strained my eyes seaward in search of the expected ship. A large bark, which very much resembled her, was, to my dismay, riding at anchor within the breakwater, her sails furled, and everything made snug for the night. I ran to the landing-steps, near which two or three sailors were standing.

"What vessel is that?" I asked, pointing to the one which had excited my alarm. "The Columbia," replied the man. "The Columbia! Why, when did she arrive?"

Some time ago. The clock chimed a quarter past eight as the captain and a few of the passengers came on shore."

"A quarter-past eight! Why it wants nearly half an hour to that now!”

"Does it though? Before you are ten minutes older you'll hear the clock strike nine!"

The man's words were followed by a merry mocking laugh close to my elbow: I turned sharply round, and for the first and last time in my life felt an almost irresistible temptation to strike a woman. There stood the meek, dove-eyed, grief-stricken wife I had parted from but a few minutes before, gazing with brazen impudence into my face.

"Perhaps, Mr. Waters," said she, with another taunting laugh, "perhaps yours is London time; or, which is probably more

"Are you a Mr. Waters?" said a custom-self and others, continued through se house official who was parading the quay.

From the New Monthly Magazine.

THE AUTHORSHIP OF JUNIUS.