as you all, gentlemen, must recollect, had approached
our right flank unperceived, and while busily engaged
with the French in front, we were compelled to divide
our fire between them and our new and fierce assailants.
The leader of that band was a French officer, who seemed
particularly to direct his attempts against the life of
Captain de Haldimar. He was a man of powerful proportions
and gigantic stature--"

"Hold!" said the governor, starting suddenly from the
seat in which he had listened with evident impatience to
this long outline of the prisoner's history. "Gentlemen,"
addressing the court, "that is the very stranger who was
in my apartment last night,--the being with whom the
prisoner is evidently in treacherous correspondence, and
all this absurd tale is but a blind to deceive your
judgment, and mitigate his own punishment. Who is there
to prove the man he has just described was the same who
aimed at Captain de Haldimar's life at Quebec?"

A flush of deep indignation overspread the features of
the prisoner, whose high spirit, now he had avowed his
true origin, could ill brook the affront thus put upon
his veracity.

"Colonel de Haldimar!" he proudly replied, while his
chains clanked with the energy and force with which he
drew up his person into an attitude of striking dignity;
"for once I sink the private soldier, and address you in
the character of the gentleman and your equal. I have