hardest thing of all to bear when I knew that in a few hours' time the
end might come. The others were only weary and dishevelled and ill at
ease, but on me seemed to have fallen the burden of the cares of the
whole earth.

Shalah had disappeared for a little, and came back with the word that
the near forests were empty. So I summoned a council, and talked as we
breakfasted. I had looked into the matter of the food, and found that
we had sufficient for three days. We had boucanned a quantity of deer's
flesh two days before, and this, with the fruit of yesterday's
trapping, made a fair stock in our larder.

Then I announced my plan. "I am going to try to reach Lawrence," I
said.

No one spoke. Shalah lifted his head, and looked at me gravely.

"Does any man object?" I asked sharply, for my temper was all of an
edge.

"Your throat will be cut in the first mile," said Donaldson gruffly.

"Maybe it will, but maybe not. At any rate, I can try. You have not
heard what Shalah and I found in the hills yesterday. Twelve miles
south there is a glen with a plateau at its head, and that plateau is
as full of Indians as a beehive. Ay, Ringan, you and Lawrence were
right. The Cherokees are the least of the trouble. There's a great army
come out of the West, men that you and I never saw the like of before,
and they are waiting till the Cherokees have drawn the fire of the
Borderers, and then they will bring hell to the Tidewater. You and I