Ah, when would those two meet again, and how? Well might they linger side by side, the wings of their young love drooping sadly as they gazed through the bare branches of the great tree up to the starry heavens. He led her back into the house, and they parted at the foot of the staircase, he standing below watching her, as slowly, with bowed head, she crawled up and up out of his sight; then with a sigh he turned away.
“Now I must be a man!” he said, and entered the kitchen, where his chief, Brigadier Howe, and his companions, with Nathaniel, Roger, and others, were in council.
“Roger!”
It was still pitch dark, at that hour between night and morning when the light of the moon and stars is dimmed and yet the sun has not risen. Roger had opened the back door, and was passing out to go down to the village, having forgotten the night before to order three canoes to be in readiness in case of need. He started when he heard himself called. How long had Loïs been waiting there for him? and how could she know he would come out?
“What is it you want?” he asked, in a low, hard voice.
“Roger, I have been warned; you and your party are watched. The danger is great; do not go forth.”
He laughed. “What nonsense, Loïs! Brigadier Howe must go, and I must accompany him; he is my guest. Tell your informant he must have forgotten the laws of honour, or he would not have sent me that message.”
A sigh escaped Loïs.
“Anything more?” he asked roughly; “if not, let me pass.”