es. He therefore confidently expected to
come up with them after traversing about that distance.

With this belief he urged on his attendants, and himself put forth
all his powers, until at length, after nearly two hours, he was
compelled to slacken his speed. This showed that they were not so
near as he had expected; yet still he believed that they were just
ahead, and that he would come up with them every moment.

Thus his mind was kept upon a constant strain, and he was always on
the lookout, watching both with eyes and ears either to see some sign
of them, or to hear them as they went on before him. And this
constant strain of mind and of sense, and this sustained attitude of
expectation, made the way seem less, and the time seem short; and
thus, though there was a certain disappointment, yet still the hope
of seeing them every next minute kept up his spirits and his
energies. Thus he went on, like one who pursues an _ignis fatuus_,
until at length the light of day faded out, and the shades of night
settled down over the forest.

He would certainly have thought that he had missed the way, had it
not been for one fact; and that was, that the track of the party whom
he was pursuing was as plain as ever, and quite fresh, showing that
they had passed over it this very day. The Indians with him were all
certain of this. It showed him that however fast he had gone, they
had been going yet faster, and that all his eagerness to catch up
with them had not been greater than their eagerness to advance. Why
was this? Suddenly the whole truth flashed upon his mind.

The priest had unexpectedly shaken off Cazeneau. He had evidently
resolved to try to escape. His strange influence over the Indians
had, no doubt, enabled him to make them his accomplices. With the
hope, therefore, of shaking off Cazeneau, he had hurried on as fast
as possible.

Still there was one thing, and that was, that they would have to
bring up somewhere. It was more than probable that the priest would
try to reach Canso. In that case Claude had only to keep on his
track, and he would get to that place not very long after him;
sufficiently soon, at any rate, to prevent missing him. As to
Louisbourg, if the priest should go there, he also could go there,
and with impunity now, since his enemy was no more. As for the
unhappy Cazeneau, he found himself no longer able to send him the
priest; but he did not feel himself to blame for that, and could only
hope