CHAPTER XVIII.
A STOLEN INTERVIEW.
The news of so unexpected an event spread quickly through the fort, andby the time the gates had been closed and barred again, men werehurrying forward from all sides. They surrounded the travelers, greetingthem eagerly, and plying them and their guides with rapid questions.
I held aloof, for I was in too bitter a mood to trust myself to speech.The reasons that had brought the London law clerk to Fort Royal--a journeyof hundreds of miles through the wilderness--gave me no concern; but Iknew what Father Cleary's visit meant, and what would follow speedily onhis arrival. Surely, I reflected, there could be no man living morewretched than myself. I thought I had become resigned to the loss ofFlora, but now I knew that it was a delusion. I could not contemplateher approaching marriage without grief and heartburning--without a maddesire to dare the worst and claim the girl as my own.
The dogs and sledges were going to the stable, and the travelers, stillhemmed in by a crowd, were moving toward the factor's house. GriffithHawke caught sight of me, and made a gesture; but I pretended not to seehim, and turning on my heel, I strode away to a far corner of the yard.
An hour of solitude put me in a calmer frame of mind--outwardly, atleast. The supper horn drew me to quarters. I had little appetite, but Imade a pretense of eating, and tried to answer cheerfully the remarksthat my comrades addressed to me.
By listening I learned much of interest. The men kept up a ceaselesschatter and discussion, and the sole topic of conversation was thearrival of Christopher Burley and the priest. The travelers, itappeared, had come together from Fort York--where all was quiet at thetime of their departure--and by the same roundabout road our party hadtraversed some days before. Strange to say they had encountered noIndians, either on the way or when near the fort, and for this the menhad two explanations. A part asserted that the redskins had moved off inthe direction of Fort York, while others were of the opinion that theyhad purposely let the travelers enter unmolested in order to deceive ourgarrison.
The discussion waxed so hot that no reference was made to the motive ofthe priest's visit, for which I was heartily thankful. I was anxious toget away from the noise and the light, and as soon as I had finished mysupper I rose. Just then Andrew Menzies, a non-commissioned officer ofthe company, entered the room.
"Carew!" he called out; "the factor wants to see you when you can sparethe time."
"All right; I'll go over to the house presently," and lighting my pipe,I sauntered out of the quarters.
Why the factor wanted me I could not readily conceive, unless it was forsome detail connected with his marriage. There were several things thatI wished to turn over in my mind before presenting myself to GriffithHawke, where I would be likely to meet Flora.
A sound of low voices at the gates, and the rattle of a bolt, drew mefirst in that direction. A little group of men were standing at theloopholes, peering out.
"What's up, comrades?" I inquired in a whisper.
"Ah, it's you, Denzil?" replied one looking around. "Didn't you know?Vallee and Maignon, the voyageurs who came in a bit ago have juststarted back to Fort York on snowshoes, taking a letter from the factorin regard to the row here this morning."
"They will go as they came," added another, "and I believe they will getthrough all right. They are out on the river by this time, and theywould scarcely have been permitted to pass yonder timber had any Indiansbeen on the watch."
"I agree with you," said I. "Let us hope that the brave fellows willmeet with no mishap."
I lingered for a moment, but the quiet of the night remained unbroken.Then I turned back across the yard, taking care that none observed me,and made my way to a small grove of fir trees that lay in the rear ofthe trading house and some distance to the right of the factor'sresidence. In the heart of the copse was a rude wooden bench, built someyears before by the factor's orders. I made my way to it over the frozensnow crust, and sat down to meditate and smoke.
I had no more than settled myself when I heard the light, crunchingpatter of feet. The sounds came nearer, and of a sudden, by the dim glowof the moon, I saw the figure of a woman within six feet of me. It wasFlora Hatherton. She was bareheaded, and a long cloak was thrown overher shoulders. As she advanced, her hands clasped in front of her, astifled sob broke from her lips.
I had been on the point of retreating, but the girl's distress alteredmy mind. By an irresistible impulse I rose and stood before her.
"Flora!" I exclaimed.
She shrank back with a smothered scream.
"Hush! do not be alarmed!" I added. "Surely you know me?"
"Denzil!" she whispered. "Oh, what a fright you gave me!"
"Why are you here?" I asked.
"The house was so warm--they have the stove red hot," she stammeredconfusedly. "I slipped out for a breath of fresh air. And you?"
"I came for the same purpose," said I. "This is a favorite spot of mine.But you have been weeping Flora."
"No--oh, no," she answered, in a tone that belied her words. "You aremistaken, Denzil. I--came here to think."
"Of what?"
"Of my wedding day," she replied half-defiantly. "Surely you know thatthe priest has arrived. I am to be married to-morrow morning."
"To-morrow morning!" I gasped.
"Yes, unless the world ends before then. Oh, Denzil, I have such wickedthoughts to-night! It is in my heart to wish that the Indians would takethe fort--that something would happen before to-morrow."
"Nothing will happen," I said bitterly. "The fort can stand a siege ofdays and months. So you are determined to wed Griffith Hawke--to forgetwhat we have been to each other in the past?"
"Denzil, you have no right," she said sadly.
The words stung me, and I suddenly realized the depths of shame to whichI had sunk. She saw her advantage, and pressed it.
"I have lingered too long," she said. "I fear I shall be missed. This isour last meeting. Farewell, Denzil!"
"Farewell!" I answered bitterly.
She held out her hand, and I pressed it to my lips. It was like marble.Then she turned and glided away, and I heard her light footstepsreceding among the trees.
The next instant I regretted that I had yielded and let her go. Thethought that I might never see her again maddened me. Without realizingthe recklessness and folly of it, I started in pursuit, calling her namein a hoarse whisper.
But I was too late, swiftly as I moved. I reached the edge of the treesin time to see a flash of light as the rear door of the factor's houseopened and closed.
I stood for a moment in the moonlight and solitude and then somethinghappened that cooled my fevered brain and put Flora out of my thoughts.Loud on the frosty night rang the report of a gun; two more followed inquick succession. From the nearest watch-tower the sentries shouted asonorous alarm, and their voices were drowned by a shrill and moredistant burst of Indian yells.