THE NIGHT RIDE.
The night had turned out dark and drear, and the lowering clouds
denoted the approach of a storm. The last echo of the booming gun had
scarcely died away, warning the inmates of the fort that it was time
for all unnecessary lights to be extinguished, and for all nightly
revels to cease.
The shrill cry of the sentinel’s “All’s well” had passed from mouth
to mouth, denoting the security of the hour, and the non-apprehension
of an attack. The lights in the different quarters were gradually
extinguished, showing a reluctance of the occupants to abandon their
evening amusements.
As the last glimmer died away, the battlements of the fort were
wrapped in an almost impenetrable gloom. Nothing broke the deathlike
stillness, save the measured tread of the guard as he walked his
lonely post, or the hooting of the owl, as it rung upon the silence
of the night from the depth of the neighboring forest.
Suddenly one of the postern gates opposite the residence of the
commandant was thrown open, from which issued a flood of light,
making the surrounding darkness more intense, and revealing a
small group of officers and ladies, on the countenances of whom
were depicted gloom and sadness, caused by the extraordinary and
unlooked-for proceedings of the earlier part of the evening. They had
just emerged from their dwelling to witness the departure of Miss
Lear, after having made ineffectual efforts to induce her to postpone
her journey till morning.
Imogene, wrapped in a heavy military cloak, and leaning upon the
arm of the garrison commander, followed by the rest of the company,
moved toward her steed, which, in charge of one of the soldiers,
stood outside of the gate, champing his bit and pawing the ground
impatiently.
Refusing all proffered assistance, she leaped gayly into the saddle,
and tried, by assuming a more genial appearance which ill-bespoke the
agony that wrung her heart, to banish the thoughts that clouded the
brows and dampened the feelings of all present.
Her horse, a noble animal of coal-black color, long, flowing tail
and mane, with limbs of most delicate proportions, and whose general
symmetry of form defied the criticism of the most observant, and
denoted a capability of excessive endurance, feeling again his
accustomed burden, seemed to partake of the happier moments of his
mistress, and commenced to curvet and gambol about to the extreme
annoyance of his attendant.
After portraying to Imogene the numerous dangers that might befall
her on the road, Colonel Hall made an urgent but fruitless appeal to
her to remain at the fort during the night, or else to accept of an
escort to her father’s house. With an ill-affected smile, Imogene
tried to allay the apprehensions of her friends by making light of
them, then waving a parting farewell to the assembled company, in a
few moments afterward she was buried in the gloom.
The assemblage waited until the rattling of her horse’s hoofs had
died away in the distance, then slowly returned to the apartment
which they had left a few minutes previous. Each member of the
assembly seemed deeply engaged with his own respective thoughts, the
uppermost of which was, no doubt, the surprising scenes that had
transpired during the evening.
The silence was finally broken by Colonel Hall, who had been
for several moments seemingly absorbed in a deep, meditative
mood, turning abruptly toward a young officer, who, in a fit of
abstraction, was standing with one arm leaning on the mantel, whom he
addressed as follows:
“Lieutenant Mansfield, I have resolved to dispatch a body of horse
to follow the direction taken by Miss Lear, in case she should
be molested, as I have apprehensions of the safety of the route
which she must traverse, for you are aware that it is only a few
days ago that those three Tory spies, now immured in the bastion,
were captured in the vicinity of her father’s residence. Should it
be agreeable, I will give the command of the troops to you; but
remember, the matter is optional.”
“Colonel, I am at your service, and nothing would be more pleasing
to me than to be the protector of virtue, and if possible, in
the performance of my duty, to rid the country of some of those
bloodthirsty desperadoes that are such a scourge to society.”
“Those are soldierly sentiments, lieutenant,” answered Colonel Hall.
“The sentiments of the entire garrison,” responded the lieutenant.
“I am pleased to learn that such chivalrous feelings pervade the
breasts of the men under my command,” said the colonel; “however,
lieutenant, as the time passes rapidly by, and several minutes have
already elapsed since the departure of Miss Lear, it would be well to
make preparations as speedily as possible.”
The lieutenant making a low bow, retired to perform the wishes of his
commander. In a moment afterward, the troopers, armed to the teeth,
and mounted on their caparisoned chargers, looking like so many
grim specters, dashed through the open gate and were soon lost to
view. The gate creaked on its rusty hinges as it swung back into its
customary place, and silence again reigned supreme.