"To Heaven,
and to your exertions, do I commit my children."
"Any artillery, colonel?" enquired the officer of that
corps.
"No, Wentworth, no artillery. Whatever remains to be
done, must be achieved by the bayonet alone, and under
favour of the darkness. Gentlemen, again I thank you for
this generous interest in my children--this forwardness
in an enterprise on which depend the lives of so many
dear friends. I am not one given to express warm emotion,
but I do, indeed, appreciate this conduct deeply." He
then moved away, desiring Mr. Lawson, as he quitted the
rampart, to cause the men for this service to be got in
instant readiness.
Following the example of their colonel, Captains Blessington
and Erskine quitted the rampart also, hastening to satisfy
themselves by personal inspection of the efficiency in
all respects of their several companies; and in a few
minutes, the only individual to be seen in that quarter
of the works was the sentinel, who had been a silent and
pained witness of all that had passed among his officers.
CHAPTER VI.
Doubtless, many of our readers are prepared to expect
that the doom of the unfortunate Frank Halloway was, as
an officer of his regiment had already hinted, the fruit
of some personal pique and concealed motive of vengeance;
and that the denouement of our melancholy story will
afford evidence of the governor's knowledge of the true
character of him, who, under an assumed name, excited
such general interest at his trial and death, not only
among his military superiors, but those with whom his
adverse destiny had more immediately associated him.
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