this Charles de Haldimar, already delirious with the
fever of intense excitement, was carefully placed, and,
followed by Captain Blessington and Lieutenant Johnstone,
borne to his apartment in the small range of buildings
constituting the officers' barracks. Captain Erskine
undertook the disagreeable office of communicating these
distressing events to the governor; and the remainder of
the officers once more hastened to join or linger near
their respective companies, in readiness for the order
which it was expected would be given to despatch a numerous
party of the garrison to secure the body of Captain de
Haldimar.




CHAPTER V.

The sun was just rising above the horizon, in all that
peculiar softness of splendour which characterises the
early days of autumn in America, as Captain Erskine led
his company across the drawbridge that communicated with
the fort. It was the first time it had been lowered since
the investment of the garrison by the Indians; and as
the dull and rusty chains performed their service with
a harsh and grating sound, it seemed as if an earnest
were given of melancholy boding. Although the distance
to be traversed was small, the risk the party incurred
was great; for it was probable the savages, ever on the
alert, would not suffer them to effect their object