ful, I wished to share the
dangers of those who fought for our liberty. Besides I could not abandon
Cary Singleton, my dear friend and the friend of the kind lady who had
taken my granddaughter under her care."

Zulma accepted the compliment with a bow and the tribute of grateful
tears.

"At first everything appeared in our favour, but after Colonel Arnold
was wounded, the men fell into disorder, and I knew that we should have
trouble. What added to our discomfiture, was that we were confronted
mainly by our own countrymen. Our own countrymen, Sieur Sarpy. There was
Dumas who led them. There was Dambourges who performed prodigies of
valour. There was a giant, named Charland, who sprang upon the barrier
and pulled our ladders over it to his own side. The sight of these
things enraged and paralyzed me. If we had had only the English to deal
with, we should have succeeded, but when the French lent a hand it was
too much. When at length we were completely surrounded and our men fell
on every side, Captain Singleton, as I have said, ordered me to escape.
'You can do no good now,' he said. 'We are lost. Fly and tell our
friends all that has happened. Tell M. Sarpy and Mademoiselle Zulma that
I have not forgotten them in this most terrible of all my misfortunes.'
I obeyed these orders. The flight was almost as desperate as the
advance. Accompanied by my men and several Indians, we threw ourselves
into a narrow path along the river, till we reached the frozen bed of
the St. Charles, which we crossed with the greatest difficulty. We had
to run two miles over shoal ice formed by the high tides, and
encountering numerous air-holes hidden from us by the darkness and the
falling snow. After countless hardships and dangers, we succeeded in
reaching the opposite bank, whence we could hear the last sounds of
battle in the distance. We stopped to listen until all was quiet and we
knew that the fate of our unfortunate companions was sealed. Then we
made our way to the headquarters at St. Foye, where we were the first to
convey the terrible intelligence to Colonel Arnold. There too we learned
full particulars of Montgomery's defeat. After taking the needful rest,
I disbanded my men to their houses for a brief furlough, while I turned
my steps directly to this mansion. Here I am and I have told my story.
Was I not justified in saying that it is all wrong and yet all right?"

IV.

DAYS OF SUSPENSE.

Now that Zulma knew all, he