THE ROCK NYMPH.
The sight of the horseman in that lonely place excited a strange
commotion. Hardly had the young officer uttered his involuntary
exclamation, when the three hounds set up a loud baying, and came
leaping toward him, the black bear waddled after them, while the timid
fawns bounded away into the forest in great alarm.
The girl herself, who seemed to be the mistress of this menagerie,
turned toward the stranger with the port of the goddess to whom he
had compared her. In truth, she resembled nothing so much as a living
statue of Diana, for she wore the same short tunic and buskins, and
carried the bow and quiver of the patroness of hunting. Her figure and
face, with the simple antique knot in which her hair was arranged,
confirmed the likeness; and when she hastily fitted an arrow to the
bow she carried, it seemed to the young soldier as if he had indeed
insulted the privacy of some supernatural being.
Most men in his position would have either turned to flee or made some
motion of defense. Not so the hussar.
He remained sitting on his horse, in spite of the menacing appearance
of the bloodhounds, without moving a muscle; and the dogs, as soon as
they closed in, justified his course, by ceasing to bay, while they
ran inquisitively round, snuffing at the horse’s legs, now and then
uttering a low growl, but offering no actual violence. The black bear
likewise became peaceable, halting at a little distance and sitting up
on its haunches, surveying the intruder with a comical air of wisdom.
The girl who had been disturbed, observing the passive attitude of the
hussar, hesitated a moment, and finally advanced toward him, with the
same haughty and insulted aspect however.
As she came closer, and her eyes ran over the face and equipments of
the intruder, the severity of her glance insensibly relaxed. It was
not in female nature to look cross at such a dashing young cavalier.
He on his part, surveyed her with increasing admiration, as he beheld
her purely Grecian face with its frame of golden hair, lighted by great
solemn blue eyes.
The girl was the first to speak, in a tone of displeasure.
“Do you know where you are, sir?” she asked. “What made you venture
where all men shun to go?”
“Fairest Diana,” began the hussar, half wondering if he were not
dreaming.
The girl interrupted him with an expression of surprise.
“How? You know my name?”
“How could I mistake it?” said the hussar, with great adroitness. “The
beauty of Diana is famous the world over, and I am the humblest of her
worshipers.”
The girl looked at him in amazement. She could not see that the
accomplished man of the world was but taking advantage of a lucky
accident, to feel his way into her confidence, by a mingling of truth
and falsehood in his manner.
“Then who are you that knows me so well?” she asked, artlessly. “I
never thought human creature would come nigh our cottage, and you say
it is famous.”
“For my name,” said the hussar, smiling, “you may call me Captain
Schuyler, if you will. If you would like a shorter name and a
pleasanter one, call me Adrian.”
“Adrian is a pretty name,” said the girl, smiling with the frank,
fearless innocence that distinguished her every action. “Adrian and
Diana are both beautiful.”
“Diana is beautiful,” said the hussar, meaningly; “how beautiful no one
knows but me.”
Diana looked up at him inquiringly. Then something seemed to inform her
of his meaning, for she flushed hotly and drew herself up with sudden
haughtiness, asking:
“What brought you here? Do you not know that it is death to intrude on
this mountain? Even the wild Indian shuns it.”
“I have heard that a demon haunts it,” said the hussar, boldly; “but I
never dreamed that it wore such a shape as yours.”
At the bold words of the intruder Diana turned pale, and looked
apprehensively around her, saying in low tones:
“Do not mention him, foolish Adrian. He will seize you and plunge you
into a fiery pit if he hears you. Away, while you have time, or you may
repent it. Any moment he may be here.”
“In that case I should like to see him,” said Schuyler, coolly. “I
don’t believe in demons, Diana. Your demon is a man, and I am curious
to see him. I rode over here expressly to do that.”
“You rode over here to dare the mountain demon?” asked the girl, in a
faint tone, as if wonder-stricken. “Man, are you mad? I tell you he has
killed every creature that has passed this way for years, and he will
kill you, if he finds you.”
The captain of hussars laughed carelessly, and threw up the flap of
one of his holsters, from whence he produced a long pistol of elegant
finish, and double-barreled.
“That, for his demoniac majesty,” he said, holding up the weapon, “and
let him beware how he crosses my path. I have--”
He was interrupted by a suspicious growl from one of the hounds,
who had been couched on the grass in seeming contentment since the
conference had become peaceful.
The animal rose to its feet and stalked to the edge of the glade,
followed by its three companions, snuffing and growling.
A moment later an arrow came from the cover of the mountain-side,
grazed the neck of the foremost hound, and whizzed past the hussar,
sticking harmlessly in a tree.
The three hounds set up a simultaneous savage bay and dashed headlong
into the cover, from whence, a moment later, rose the appalling
war-whoop of the Mohawk, as a dozen warriors sprung out, and rushed
towards Schuyler and Diana.
In a moment a fierce contest had commenced, the gallant hounds each
pinning an Indian by the throat, while the bear rushed into the fight
with a savage growl. Adrian Schuyler shot down a savage with his
pistol, and wounded a second, then drew his saber, and instinctively
looked around for the mysterious girl, Diana.
She had vanished, as if the earth had swallowed her up!
He was too much confused by the sudden attack to think of where
she had gone. Already two of the hounds were ripped up by Indian
scalping-knives, and the third was transfixed with an arrow.
As he turned toward the Indians, his horse plunging and rearing, the
flashes of several rifles were followed by a sharp stinging sensation
in his side, and two warriors seized his bridle, while a third rushed
at him, tomahawk in hand.
But the hussar was not the man to yield to a surprise. His keen saber
played round his head like a flash of light, and in a trice he had
cut down one assailant, while the other let go the bridle to escape a
second blow.
With a shout of triumph he dashed in his spurs, and the gray charger
took him clear of his enemies with a bound. Then, lying down on his
saddle to escape the bullets, away went Captain Adrian Schuyler, late
of the Zieten Hussars of Prussia, at full speed, through the clearing,
passing the stone hut, which seemed to be quite deserted, and darting
into the forest beyond.
Arrows and bullets whistled past him as he went, but he was untouched,
save by the first graze which he had lately felt. He heard the Indians
whooping behind him, and doubted not that they were pursuing, but he
felt secure on his swift steed, and his only anxiety seemed to be as to
the safety of the strange girl who called herself Diana.
Where she had gone, and whether the Indians had seen her, was an
enigma to him as he fled away, but he had no time to lose. The young
aid-de-camp was even then on an important mission, and his detour to
the Haunted Mountain had cost him valuable time.
Fully resolved to return with sufficient force to investigate the
mystery at some future time, the officer galloped on through the woods
till he regained once more the road to Derryfield, and pursued his
journey at a gallop.