"If it prove otherwise, sir," was the reply, "we must
only attribute his perseverance to the influence which
that terrible warrior of the Fleur de lis is said to
exercise over his better feelings. By the by, I see
nothing of him among this flag of truce party. It could
scarcely be called a violation of faith to cut off such
a rascally renegade. Were he of the number of those
advancing, and Valletort's rifle within my reach, I know
not what use I might not be tempted to make of the last."

Poor Erskine was singularly infelicitous in touching,
and ever unconsciously, on a subject sure to give pain
to more than one of his brother officers. A cloud passed
over the brow of the governor, but it was one that
originated more in sorrow than in anger. Neither had he
time to linger on the painful recollections hastily and
confusedly called up by the allusion made to this formidable
and mysterious being, for the attention of all was now
absorbed by the approaching Indians. With a bold and
confiding carriage the fierce Ponteac moved at the head
of his little party, nor hesitated one moment in his
course, until he got near the brink of the ditch, and
stood face to face with the governor, at a distance that
gave both parties not only the facility of tracing the
expression of each other's features, but of conversing
without effort. There he made a sudden stand, and thrusting
his spear into the earth, assumed an attitude as devoid
of apprehension as if he had been in the heart of his
own encampment.