forfeit of your faith."

"It is noting but a womans," calmly returned the Canadian;
"it is my Babette who is sorry at my loss. But I shall
come and tell you directly."

He then stole gently round the corner of the hut, leaving
his anxious companions in the rear of the little building,
and completely veiled in the obscurity produced by the
mingling shadows of the hut itself, and a few tall pear
trees that overhung the paling of the orchard at some
yards from the spot on which they stood.

They waited some minutes to hear the result of the
Canadian's admittance into his dwelling; but although
each with suppressed breathing sought to catch those
sounds of welcome with which a daughter might be supposed
to greet a parent so unexpectedly restored, they listened
in vain. At length, however, while the ears of both were
on the rack to drink in the tones of a human voice, a
faint scream floated on the hushed air, and all again
was still.

"Good!" whispered the elder of the officers; "that scream
is sweeter to my ear than the softest accents of woman's
love. It is evident the ordinary tones of speech cannot
find their way to us here from the front of the hut. The
faintness of yon cry, which was unquestionably that of
a female, is a convincing proof of it."