thus forced on his mental view, the young officer had
not, for some moments, presence of mind to reflect that
the danger of the garrison existed only so long as he
should be absent from it. At length, however, the cheering
recollection came, and with it the mantling rush of blood,
to his faint heart. But, short was the consoling hope:
again he felt dismay in every fibre of his frame; for he
now reflected, that although his opportune discovery of
the meditated scheme would save one fort, there was no
guardian angel to extend, as in this instance, its
protecting influence to the other; and within that other
there breathed those who were dearer far to him than his
own existence;--beings, whose lives were far more precious
to him than any even in the garrison of which he was a
member. His sister Clara, whom he loved with a love little
inferior to that of his younger brother; and one, even
more dearly loved than Clara,--Madeline de Haldimar, his
cousin and affianced bride,--were both inmates of
Michilimackinac, which was commanded by the father of
the latter, a major in the ---- regiment. With Madeline
de Haldimar he had long since exchanged his vows of
affection; and their nuptials, which were to have taken
place about the period when the present war broke out,
had only been suspended because all communication between
the two posts had been entirely cut off by the enemy.

Captain de Haldimar had none of the natural weakness and
timidity of character which belonged to the gentler and
more sensitive Charles. Sanguine and full of enterprise,
he seldom met evils half way; but when they did come, he