e services he had
accepted; but he had heard his voice, and he recalled the peculiar
intonation so perfectly, that he would have recognized it among
thousands. Besides, this poor devil did not know a word of French (more
than ten persons bore witness to it); and born on the river, and having
always lived there, he was an excellent sailor. Finally, it was very
clear, that, if this man had committed the crime, he would have been
careful not to claim his boat.

What could Daniel conclude from this summary inquiry?

"There is no doubt about it," he thought. "I was to be murdered."

XXIII.

There is no man, however brave he may think himself, who would not
tremble at the idea that he has, just by a miracle, escaped from the
assassin's hand. There is not one who would not feel his blood grow
chill in his veins at the thought that those who have failed in their
attempt once will no doubt renew their efforts, and that perhaps the
miracle may not be repeated.

That was Daniel's position.

He felt henceforth this terrible certainty, that war had been declared
against him, a savage warfare, merciless, pitiless, a war of treachery
and cunning, of snare and ambush. It had been proved to him that at his
side, so to say, as his very shadow, there was ever a terrible enemy,
stimulated by the thirst of gain, watching all his steps, ever awake and
on the watch, and ready to seize the first opportunity to strike. The
infernal cunning of the first two attempts enabled Daniel to measure
the superior wickedness of the man who had been chosen and enlisted--at
least Daniel thought so--by Sarah Brandon.

Still he did not say a word of the danger to which he was exposed,
and even assumed, as soon as he had recovered from the first shock, a
certain cheerfulness which he had not shown during the whole voyage, and
under which he concealed his apprehensions.

"I do not want my enemy," he said to himself, "to suspect my
suspicions."

But from that moment his suspicions never fell asleep; and every step
he took was guided by most careful circumspection. He never put one foot
before the other, so to say, without first having examined the ground;
he never seized a man-rope without having first tried its solidity; he
had made it a law to eat and drink nothing, not even a glass of water,
but what came from the officers' table.

These perpetual precautions, these ceaseless apprehensions, were
extremely repugnant to his daring temper; but