In
proof, moreover, there was the hat of Donellan, and the
very rope Halloway had stated to be that by which the
unfortunate officer had effected his exit. Colonel de
Haldimar was not one given to indulge in the mysterious
or to believe in the romantic. Every thing was plain
matter of fact, as it now appeared before him; and he
thought it evident, as though it had been written in
words of fire, that if his son and his unfortunate servant
had quitted the fort in the manner represented, it was
no less certain they had been forced off by a party, at
the head of whom was his vindictive enemy, and with the
connivance of Halloway. We have seen, that after the
discovery of the sex of the supposed drummer-boy when
the prisoners were confronted together, Colonel de Haldimar
had closely watched the expression of their countenances,
but failed in discovering any thing that could be traced
into evidence of a guilty recognition. Still he conceived
his original impression to have been too forcibly borne
out, even by the events of the last half hour, to allow
this to have much weight with him; and his determination
to carry the thing through all its fearful preliminary
stages became more and more confirmed.
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