"How very fortunate," said Herbert, as he rode on, "that I happened to

be at the General's quarters to receive these letters just when I did;

for if they had been sent to Colonel Le Noir's quarters or to Captain

Z.'s, poor Traverse would never have heard of them. However, I shall

not distract Traverse's attention by showing him these letters until he

has told me the full history of his arrest, for I wish him to give me a

cool account of the whole thing, so that I may know if I can possibly

serve him. Ah, it is very unlikely that any power of mine will be able

to save him if indeed, and in truth, he did sleep upon his post,"

ruminated Herbert, as he rode up to the tent where the prisoner was

confined.

Another pair of sentinels were on duty in place of those who had

refused him admittance.

He alighted from his horse, was challenged, showed his order, and

passed into the tent.

There a sight met him that caused the tears to rush to his eyes--for

the bravest is always the tenderest heart.

Thrown down on the mat at the back of the tent lay Traverse Rocke,

pale, haggard and sunken in the deep, deep sleep of utter exhaustion.

Even in that state of perfect abandonment, prostration and

insensibility, the expression of great mental anguish remained upon his

deathly countenance; a mortal pallor overspread his face; his thick,

black curls, matted with perspiration, clung to his hollow temples and

cheeks; great drops of sweat beaded upon his corrugated brow; a quiver

convulsed his mouth and chin; every circumstance betrayed how severely,

even in that swoon-like state, he suffered.

Herbert drew a camp-stool and sat down beside his mat, resolving not to

break that greatly needed rest, but to wait patiently until the sleeper

should awake.

Again, I say that I know nothing about mesmerism, but I have seen

strange effects produced quite unconsciously by the presence of one

person upon another. And in a few minutes after Herbert took his seat

beside Traverse, it was noticeable that the face of the sleeper lost

its look of pain, and his rest grew deep and calm.

Herbert sat watching that pale, calm, intellectual face, thanking

heaven that his mother, in her distant home, knew nothing of her boy's

deadly peril and praying heaven that its justice might be vindicated in

the deliverance of this victim from the snares of those who sought his

life.

For more than an hour longer Traverse slept the deep sleep of

exhaustion, and then calmly awoke. On seeing Herbert sitting beside

him, he smiled sadly, saying: "You here, Herbert? How kind of you to come. Well, Herbert, you see

they have succeeded, as I knew they would. That was what I wished to

tell you about when I was abruptly ordered away. I do believe it was

done on purpose to prevent my telling you. I really think I have been

surrounded by spies to report and distort every word and look and

gesture. If our company had only watched the enemy with half the

vigilance with which they watched me, that party of emigrants would not

have been cut off on the plains."




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