He turned once more to his foe, and beheld the hitherto fierce face drawn down with abject fear, as the dreaded partisan ground out the single word “Diana!” and then turned to flee.
Adrian’s horse bounded after him, and the hussar discharged a blow that cut open the other’s shoulder, which, to his amazement, Butler never even tried to parry.
The spiteful hiss of a bullet past his ear, cutting away a curl in its passage, told him that he was not wise to tarry longer. Turning away, he found himself and Diana almost alone amid the enemy, who were rallying from their discomfiture, and hastening to cut them off. The hussar uttered a shout of defiance, seized the bridle of his fair companion, and galloped away after his rangers.
CHAPTER XIII.
BENNINGTON.
The stars were shining bright and clear in the heavens, where the gray light of early dawn was beginning to pale a few on the eastern horizon, and the remains of the rain-clouds were driving toward the sea under the chilly north-west wind that ended the rain-storm.
A numerous force of men lay clustered in bivouac round the smoking camp-fires, and at one fire, separated from the rest, General Stark was walking to and fro, talking to Adrian Schuyler.
“And you say the girl galloped away from you, and would not even give you her name?” he said, inquiringly.
“True, General.”
“Why didn’t you chase her and bring her in?”