At length, towards the close, he called
faintly to the old and faithful soldier, who, at the foot
of the bed, stood watching every change of his master's
countenance, to know the cause of the cannonade. On being
informed the batteries in the rear were covering the
retreat of Captain Erskine, who, in his attempt to obtain
the body, had been surprised by the Indians, a new
direction was temporarily given to his thoughts, and he
now manifested the utmost impatience to know the result.
In a few minutes Morrison, who, in defiance of the
surgeon's strict order not on any account to quit the
room, had flown to obtain some intelligence which he
trusted might remove the anxiety of his suffering master,
again made his appearance, stating the corpse was already
secured, and close under the guns of the fort, beneath
which the detachment, though hotly assailed from the
forest, were also fast retreating.
"And is it really my brother, Morrison? Are you quite
certain that it is Captain de Haldimar?" asked the young
officer, in the eager accents of one who, with the fullest
conviction on his mind, yet grasps at the faintest shadow
of a consoling doubt.
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