n us," said Stuart. "Fort Loudon must fall."

In this extremity a council of war was held. Yet there seemed no course
open even to deliberation. On the one hand rose mutiny, starvation, and
desertion; but to surrender to such an enemy as the Cherokees meant
massacre. Their terrible fate held them in a remorseless clutch! At
last, with some desperate hope, such as the unsubstantial illusion with
which drowning men catch at straws, that the Indians might make and keep
terms, it was agreed that Captain Stuart, at his earnest desire, should
be the officer to treat with the enemy and secure such terms of
capitulation as they could be induced to hold forth.

It might be imagined that the little band of officers, in their hard
stress, had become incapable of any further vivid emotion, but in
vicarious terror they watched Stuart step forth boldly and alone from
the sally-port, a white flag in his hand, and arrayed, in deference to
the Indians' love of ceremony and susceptibility to compliment, in full
uniform.

He stood on the parapet of the covered way, motionless and distinct, in
the clear light of the morning, against the background of the great red
clay embankments. He was evidently seen, for through a spy-glass Demere
in the block-house tower noted the instant stillness that fell like a
spell upon the Indian line; the figures of the warriors, crouching or
erect, seemed petrified in the chance attitude of the moment. That he
was instantly recognized by skulking scouts in the woods was as evident.
His tall, sinewy figure; his long, dense, blond hair, with its heavy
queue hanging on the shoulders of his red coat; a certain daring,
martial insouciance of manner, sufficiently individualized him to the
far-sighted Cherokees, and the white flag in his hand--a token which
they understood, although they did not always respect it--intimated that
developments of moment in the conduct of the siege impended.

There was no sudden shrill whistling of a rifle ball, and Demere,
thinking of the fate of Coytmore on the river-bank at Fort Prince
George, began to breathe more freely. A vague sense of renewed
confidence thrilled through the watching group. Stuart had stipulated
that he should go alone--otherwise he would not make the essay. The
presence of two or three armed men, officers of the fort, intimated
suspicion and fear, incurred danger, and yet, helpless among such
numbers, afforded no protection. The others had yielded to this
a