as dearly as we can. Hist! he is here."

The door opened; and at the entrance, which was already
filled up in the imaginations of the young men with a
terrible and alarming figure, appeared one whose return
had been anxiously and long desired. It was a relief,
indeed, to their gallant but excited hearts to behold
another than the form they had expected; and although,
for the moment, they knew not whether the Canadian came
in hostility or in friendship, each quitted the attitude
of caution into which he had thrown himself, and met him
midway in his passage through the room. There was nothing
in the expression of his naturally open and good-humoured
countenance to denote he was at all aware of the causes
for alarm that had operated so powerfully on themselves.
He announced with a frank look and unfaltering voice
every thing was in readiness for their departure.

The officers hesitated; and the taller fixed his eyes
upon those of mine host, as if his gaze would have
penetrated to the innermost recesses of his heart. Could
this be a refinement of his treachery? and was he really
ignorant of the existence of the danger which threatened
them? Was it not more probable his object was to disarm
their fears, that they might be given unprepared and,
therefore, unresisting victims to the ferocity of their
enemies? Aware as he was, that they were both well provided
with arms, and fully determined to use them with effect,
might not his aim be to decoy them to destruction without,
lest the blood spilt under his roof, in the desperation