|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 71
Scarcely had he time to impress upon her lips his deep
but chastened sense of happiness, when the party expected,
entered the room--Von Vottenberg immediately applying
himself to an examination of the patient, whose condition,
it was evident from his unusually grave look, he conceived
to be highly critical.
Dreading to hear his opinion pronounced in the presence
of his betrothed, and the more so, because he had in some
degree been its cause, the young officer, after having
warmly shaken hands with Mrs. Elmsley, whom he thanked
for her prompt attention, urged her to do all in her
power to soothe Maria, to whom, at parting, he also
offered his hand, while his eye was eloquent with the
feelings he could not well openly express.
He first directed his course towards the rose-bush, and
approached it with a feeling almost similar to what would
have been experienced by him, had he been the actual
murderer of Mr. Heywood. Loup Garou was sitting crouched
near the head and was so far recovered as to growl rather
fiercely at him, as he approached. On hearing the voice
of his master, not in anger but in conciliation, he arose,
slightly wagged his tail, and came forward slowly and
crouching, as if in dread of further punishment, his lip
uncurled, showing all his upper teeth, and with a short,
quick sneeze, peculiar to his half-wolf-blooded race.
Calling gently to the animal, he preceded him to the
gate, desiring him to wait there until he returned--an
injunction evidently understood by the dog, which,
crouching down in his accustomed posture, ventured not
to move. With the small spud, already alluded to, and
then near the rose-tree, he put back in small quantities
the displaced earth, until the ghastly face, indistinctly
seen in the star-light, was again wholly hidden from
view. This done, he approached the bank of the river,
followed by the dog, and gave a shrill whistle, which,
without being answered, speedily brought over the boat
in which he now embarked for the opposite shore.
His first care was to seek Elmsley, who, as officer of
the guard, was up accoutred for duty, and was now looking
over an old "Washington Intelligencer," that had been
read at least a dozen times before, while he smoked his
pipe and sipped from a bowl of whisky punch, which Von
Vottenberg had just finished brewing, when so suddenly
summoned to the cottage.
After Ronayne had detailed to his friend the occurrences
of the evening, and communicated his views, they both
issued forth to the guard-room, where Sergeant Nixon
happened to be upon duty. With the latter, a brief
conversation was held by Ronayne, ending with an injunction
for him to come to Lieutenant Elmsley's quarters and
announce to him (the former), when certain arrangements
which had been agreed upon, were completed.
Returned to the abode of the latter, the young officer
required no very great pressing to induce him to join
his superior in the beverage, to which anxiety of mind
not less than fatigue of body had so much disposed him,
yet of which both partook moderately. While so employed,
and awaiting the appearance of the sergeant, Ronayne,
who had now no motive for further mystery or concealment,
detailed at the request of his friend, but in much more
succinct terms than he had done in the paper he had handed
to Maria Heywood, the circumstances connected with his
absence from the Fort, on the night of the attack upon
the farm, and the means taken by him to attain the object
in which he had been thwarted by Captain Headley.
CHAPTER XII.
"You dam Yankee, stop Injin when him go wigwam," commenced
Ronayne, rising at the same time and imitating the action
of one unsteady from intoxication. "'Spose tell him
gubbernor?"
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|