clattering at last on the ridge of the
hill; but his disappointment may be imagined, when, as they burst at last
on his sight, emerging from the woods above, the gallant party dwindled
suddenly into a troop of young men, only eleven in number, who rattled
along the path in greater haste than order, as if dreaming of anything in
the world but the proximity of an enemy. The leader he recognised at a
glance by his tall figure, as Tom Bruce the younger, whose feats of
Regulation the previous day had produced a strong though indirect
influence on his own fortunes; and the ten lusty youths who followed his
heels, he doubted not, made up the limbs and body of that inquisitorial
court which, under him as its head, had dispensed so liberal an allowance
of border law to honest Ralph Stackpole. That they were now travelling on
duty of a similar kind, he was strongly inclined to believe; but the
appearance of their horses, covered with foam, as if they had ridden far
and fast, their rifles held in readiness in both hands, as if in
momentary expectation of being called on to use them, with an occasional
gesture from their youthful leader, who seemed to encourage them to
greater speed, convinced him they were bent upon more serious business,
perhaps in pursuit of the Indians, with whose marauding visitation some
accident had made them acquainted.

The smallness of the force, and its almost entire incompetence to yield
him any relief, filled the soldier's breast with despair; but, hopeless
as he was, he could not see the gallant young men rushing blindly among
the savages, each of whose rifles was already selecting its victim,
without making an effort to apprize them of their danger. Forgetting,
therefore, his own situation, or generously disregarding it, he summoned
all his strength, and, as they began to descend the hill, shouted aloud,
"Beware the ambush!--Halt"--But before the words were all uttered, he was
grasped by the throat with strangling violence, and the old warrior,
whose left hand thus choked his utterance, drew his knife a second time,
with the other, and seemed for an instant as if he would have plunged it
into the soldier's bosom.

But the cry had not been made in vain, and although, from the distance,
the words had not been distinguished by the young Kentuckians, enough was
heard to convince them the enemy was nigh at hand. They came to an
immediate halt, and Roland, whose throat was still held by the warrior
and h