Adrian followed the General’s pointing finger, and distinguished the outline of a galloping horseman, rapidly approaching the fire in the gray dawn.
Presently up dashed a man on a black horse, and halted suddenly in front of the fire. Of his figure all that could be seen was a shadow in a loose cloak, and a shadowy hat was slouched over a face of marble paleness.
The strange horseman addressed himself to General Stark, as directly as if he knew him well, saying in a deep, hollow voice:
“John Stark, if you wish to save your country, march on the enemy at once. Reinforcements are coming up, and will be here by sunset. Exterminate what are here, before the others come up, and God speed you. Farewell.”
Then, before even the quick-witted General could guess his intention, he was off, and galloping through the camp at full speed. Stark shook his head as he looked after him.
“Yonder goes a strange man,” he said to Adrian, “and if I did not know him, I should say a spy.”
“What, do you really know him?” asked Adrian, eagerly. “I, too, recognized his face, but only as that of an apparition that—”
“What apparition?” queried the General, sharply. “What do you mean by talking of such stuff, sir?”
“Only this, General,” said the hussar stoutly, “that the face I just now saw under that shadowy hat is none other than that of the creature your men call the Mountain Demon. I saw it only once, but I shall not forget it in a hurry.”
Stark uttered his customary grunt, but made no further observation on the occurrence, and very soon the duties of the camp took them both away.