usness, and the impression on his mind was that she was dead.

While in the act of raising her, the terrible Wacousta stood at his
side, his vast chest heaving forth a laugh of mingled rage and
contempt. Before the officer could extricate, with a view of defending
himself, his arms were pinioned as though in a vice; and ere he could
recover from his surprise, he felt himself lifted up and thrown to a
considerable distance. When he opened his eyes a moment afterwards, he
was lying amid the moving feet of his own men.

From the instant of the closing of the unfortunate Valletort with his
enemy, the Indians, hastening to the assistance of their chief, had
come up, and a desultory fire had already commenced, diverting, in a
great degree, the attention of the troops from the pursued. Emboldened
by this new aspect of things Wacousta now deliberately grasped the
rifle that had been abandoned by Johnstone; and raising it to his
shoulder, fired among the group collected on the ramparts. For a moment
he watched the result of his shot, and then, pealing forth another
fierce yell, he hurled the now useless weapon into the very heart of
his pursuers; and again raising Clara in his arms, once more commenced
his retreat, which, under cover of the fire of his party, was easily
effected.

"Who has fallen?" demanded the governor of his adjutant, perceiving
that some one had been hit at his side, yet without taking his eyes off
his terrible enemy.

"Mr. Delme, sir," was the reply. "He has been shot through the heart,
and his men are bearing him from the rampart."

"This must not be," resumed the governor with energy. "Private feelings
must no longer be studied at the expense of the public good. That
pursuit is hopeless; and already too many of my officers have fallen.
Desire the retreat to be sounded, Mr. Lawson. Captain Wentworth, let
one or two covering guns be brought to bear upon the savages. They are
gradually increasing hi numbers; and if we delay, the party will be
wholly cut off."

In issuing these orders, Colonel de Haldimar evinced a composedness
that astonished all who heard him. But although his voice was calm,
despair was upon his brow. Still he continued to gaze fixedly on the
retreating form of his enemy, until he finally disappeared behind the
orchard of the Canadian of the Fleur de lis.

Obeying the summons from the fort, the troops without now commenced
their retreat, bearing off the bodies of their fallen office