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Updated: May 3, 2025
I had eight men in mine, as follows: Captain Rudstone, Christopher Burley, an Indian employee named Pemecan, two voyageurs, Baptiste and Carteret, and three old servants of the company, by name Duncan Forbes, Malcolm Cameron, and Luke Hutter. Flora, of course, went with me, and she had made me radiantly happy by a promise to become my wife at Fort Charter, if the ceremony could be arranged there.
"It's a sound plan!" exclaimed Captain Rudstone. "Ay, I'm of the same mind," added Carteret. "It's well worth the trying. And it's that or a bloody massacre there are no two ways about it." "It seems a cowardly thing," grumbled Menzies, "to yield the redskins all but this house, and then slink away from that under cover of darkness and by a trick.
As I turned from the loophole, Captain Rudstone met me face to face. "He wants you," he said. "Come at once." "Who?" I asked mechanically. "Griffith Hawke, of course. Surely you knew he had been shot. He is dying, I believe." I tried to speak, but the words stuck in my throat. The captain looked at me keenly for an instant, and then strode off.
"The wind is high, and the snow will drift heavily. The Indians are not likely to attack us in such weather." "I wish I could feel sure of that," Griffith Hawke said doubtfully. "By the way, Denzil, I have reason to believe that white men are among the savages." "I am pretty certain that Cuthbert Mackenzie is with them," said I. "And others," broke in Captain Rudstone.
His musket was clutched in his hand, and blood was oozing from a wound in the region of the heart. "What do you mean, Rudstone?" I asked. He pointed silently to the redskin's throat and bending closer, I saw a necklace of the teeth and claws of wild beasts. Something else was strung with it a tiny locket of smooth gold and the sight of it made my heart leap.
With one impulse Captain Rudstone and I drew our pistols and sprang to our feet. In a trice we were out in the hall, and plunging recklessly down the stairs. We heard distant calls of alarm from the lower part of the house, and a woman's voice, ringing loudly and close at hand, guided us to Miss Hatherton's room.
Mackenzie, I take it he was seeking the dispatches?" "Yes, he doubtless thought I still had them," Miss Hatherton replied. "I am afraid he will pay dearly for his folly if Captain Rudstone overtakes him." Even as she spoke a startling thing happened. In the silence of the room we all heard the faint report of a pistol. The sound came from some distance away, and in the direction of the upper town.
I saw Captain Rudstone glance keenly at the spot where the cryptogram was hidden, and he muttered something under his breath as he turned away. We passed across the inclosure, out at the ruined gates, and struck off in the direction of Fort Charter. We were soon in a heavy forest, where it was necessary to march two or three abreast. Tom Arnold, Captain Rudstone and another led the way.
Macdonald returned with the liquor, and a small portion of it, forced between Flora's teeth, quickly brought her round. She insisted on rising, and clung to me for support. "Has he escaped?" she asked eagerly. "No, there he is!" she pointed to Captain Rudstone. "Liar, thief, impostor!" she said, half-hysterically. "You are unmasked at last and by a woman! Denzil, the papers!" "See, I have them!"
Just then we heard soft footsteps, and looking up we were surprised to see Captain Rudstone standing within a yard of us. There was a peculiar gleam in his eyes, and a half-amused, half-mocking expression lurked on his inscrutable features. His glance swept about the room, then settled keenly on our little group. "Pardon me for interrupting you, Mr. Macdonald," he said in well-modulated tones.
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