How likely,
therefore, was it, having this object always in view, he
should give in to the present wily stratagem, where such
plausible motives for the abandonment of their hostile
purpose were urged by the perfidious chiefs! From the
few hasty hints already given him by his guide,--that
kind being, who evidently sought to be the saviour of
the devoted garrisons,--he had gathered that a deep and
artful plan was to be submitted to the chiefs by their
leader; but little did he imagine it was of the finished
nature it now proved to be. Any other than the present
attempt, the vigilance and prudence of his experienced
father, he felt, would have rendered abortive; but there
was so much speciousness in the pleas that were to be
advanced in furtherance of their assumed object, he could
not but admit the almost certainty of their influence,
even on him.
Sick and discouraged as he was at the horrible perspective
thus forced on his mental view, the young officer had
not, for some moments, presence of mind to reflect that
the danger of the garrison existed only so long as he
should be absent from it.
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