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.