"
"But the dark one has no bowels, except to devour the children of men,"
said the sergeant, looking around him in horror; "and it's best to make
friends everywhere, for there is no telling what may happen till it
comes. But, Betty, no man could have got out of this place, and passed
all the sentinels, without being known. Take awful warning from the
visit therefore--"
Here the dialogue was interrupted by a peremptory summons to the sutler
to prepare the morning's repast, and they were obliged to separate; the
woman secretly hoping that the interest the sergeant manifested was more
earthly than he imagined; and the man, bent on saving a soul from the
fangs of the dark spirit that was prowling through their camp in quest
of victims.
During the breakfast several expresses arrived, one of which brought
intelligence of the actual force and destination of the enemy's
expedition that was out on the Hudson; and another, orders to send
Captain Wharton to the first post above, under the escort of a body of
dragoons. These last instructions, or rather commands, for they admitted
of no departure from their letter, completed the sum of Dunwoodie's
uneasiness. The despair and misery of Frances were constantly before his
eyes, and fifty times he was tempted to throw himself on his horse and
gallop to the Locusts; but an uncontrollable feeling prevented.
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