quivering handle snapped close off at its head. At that
moment, a single shot, fired from the guard-house, was
drowned in the yell of approbation which burst from the
lips of the dark crowd. The turban of the warrior was,
however, seen flying through the air, carried away by
the force of the bullet which had torn it from his head.
He himself was unharmed.

"A narrow escape for us both, Colonel de Haldimar," he
observed, as soon as the yell had subsided, and with an
air of the most perfect unconcern. "Had my tomahawk obeyed
the first impulse of my heart, I should have cursed myself
and died: as it is, I have reason to avoid all useless
exposure of my own life, at present. A second bullet may
be better directed; and to die, robbed of my revenge,
would ill answer the purpose of a life devoted to its
attainment. Remember my pledge!"

At the hasty command of the governor, a hundred muskets
were raised to the shoulders of his men; but, before a
single eye could glance along the barrel, the formidable
and active warrior had bounded over the heads of the
nearest Indians into a small space that was left unoccupied;
when, stooping suddenly to the earth, he disappeared
altogether from the view of his enemies. A slight movement
in the centre of the numerous band crowding the gateway,
and extending even beyond the bridge, was now discernible:
it was like the waving of a field of standing corn,
through which some animal rapidly winds its tortuous
course, bending aside as the object advances, and closing