But the opportunity
was now lost. The delay occasioned by the chase and
recovery of the ball had given the Indians time to approach
the gates in a body, while the unsuspicious soldiery
looked on without so much as dreaming to prevent them;
and Captain Baynton had scarcely moved forward in execution
of his purpose, when the yelling fiends were seen already
possessing themselves of the drawbridge, and exhibiting
every appearance of fierce hostility. Wild, maddened at
the sight, the almost frantic Madeline, alive only to
her father's danger, rushed back towards the council-room,
whence the startling yell from without had already been
echoed, and where the tramp of feet, and the clashing of
weapons, were distinguishable.
Cut off from his guard, by the rapid inundation of
warriors, Captain Baynton had at once seen the futility
of all attempts to join the men, and his first impression
evidently had been to devote himself to the preservation
of the cousins. With this view he turned hastily to Miss
de Haldimar, and hurriedly naming the back staircase of
the block-house, urged her to direct her flight to that
quarter.
Pages:
532
533
534
535
536
537
538
539
540
541
542
543
544
545
546
547
548
549
550
551
552
553
554
555
556