led them into more dangerous contact with some of the
outlying parties of Indians, who were known to prowl
around the fort at night, this plan had been abandoned
for the more circuitous and safe passage by the village.
Through this our little party now pursued their way, and
without encountering aught to impede their progress. The
simple mannered inhabitants had long since retired to
rest, and neither light nor sound denoted the existence
of man or beast within its precincts. At length they
reached that part of the road which turned off abruptly
in the direction of the Fleur de lis. The rude hut threw
its dark shadows across their path, but all was still
and deathlike as in the village they had just quitted.
Presently, however, as they drew nearer, they beheld,
reflected from one of the upper windows, a faint light
that fell upon the ground immediately in front of the
auberge; and, at intervals, the figure of a human being
approaching and receding from it as if in the act of
pacing the apartment.

An instinctive feeling of danger rose at the same moment
to the hearts of the young officers; and each, obeying
the same impulse, unfastened one of the large horn buttons
of his blanket coat, and thrust his right hand into the
opening.

"Francois, recollect your oath," hastily aspirated the
elder, as he grasped the hand of their conductor rather
in supplication than in threat; "if there be aught to
harm us here, your own life will most assuredly pay the