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Show Tt.JCIIAIW liUHDlS. of the mountain, threntenecl in their flow to brenk down all bnr ricrs, :mel oYerwll<"hn tl1c region wl1ich they were mcnnt to in· "igoriltC and refresh. One bitter sentence of. hopel~ssnC!"iS nlonc escaped her lips ; at1d tltc unsyllabled moanmg wluch followed it attested the depths of these sorrows wl1ich she had so long and so nobly kept in check:- ••He leaves me-I haYe seen him for the last time-1 have ] 10ard his departing footsteps-departing for ever! Hark! it is the tread of a l.orse. It is his. llo flies-he is safe from harm. He will be free, l1e wi11 be happy, and 1-0 my father -I am desolate!" CONCLUSION. CIIAP'l'ER LIII. CONCLUSION. --"If thou couldst redeem me With nnything but dcnth, I think I should Consent to li \"C." - 'l'lte 7t-aitor. 393 MEANWHILE, we sped toward ourplacc of rendezvous. Wo reached it, as we had calculated, in sufficient season. The whole party was assembled at tltc "J3lind," according to arrangement, and within the limited houri and, for a brief period after our reunion, nothing was to be heard but the hum of preparation for the anticipated strife. Our weapons, as before stated, were of a motley description. But they were all effective; at least we resolved tlHtt they should be made so. Leavi11g as little to accident as possible, we reloaded and reprime<l our firearms, put in new flints where we could do so, and girded ourselves up for the contest with the cool considerateness of men who are not disposed to shrink back from the good work to wl1ich they have so far put their bands. Encouraged by tl10 feeling and energy of Colonel Grafton, who was very much beloved among tl1em, there was not one of the party who did not throw as much personal interest into the motives for his valor as entered either into Grafton's bosom or mine. When we were all ready, we divided ourselves into three bodies, providing thus an assailing force for the three known outlets of the outlaws' retreat. One of these bodies was led by Grafton, and, under his lead, and by his side, I rode. rro two sturdy farmers of the neigl1borhood, who were supposed to be more conversant with the place than the rest, the other divis· ions were given; and it was arranged that our attack upon tho three designated point:; should be as nearl y simultaneous as possible. The darkness of the forest-tl1e difficulty of deter- 170 |
