“Am I your prisoner, Captain Travers?” said Mark, replacing his weapon.
“No, far from it; it was to serve you I accepted the command of this party. I knew of the plot by which you were threatened—Hemsworth——”
“He is gone to his reckoning now,” said Mark, who never gave credit to Kerry's story.
“Not dead—you do not mean that?”
“Even so, sir, but not as I see you suspect.”
“No matter now,” cried Travers, wildly, for a thousand dreadful fears came crowding on his mind; “you must escape at once; this will be worse than the charge of treason itself. Was there any witness to his death?”
“None,” said Mark, for he remembered that Kate was still fainting during the struggle he believed fatal.
“You must escape at once,” repeated Travers, for without directly attributing guilt to Mark, he feared the consequence of this dreadful event. “Keep in the mountain for some little time, and when this mad enterprise has blown over——”
“The country then will be in other hands,” interrupted Mark;—“aye, sir, you may look and feel incredulous, but the time is perhaps not distant when I may be able to return your present courtesy. The French are landing——”
“They are putting out to sea—flying—not advancing,” said Travers, proudly.