It was near sunset when Ronayne, who, with the robust
Catherine, had carefully lifted the invalid into the
centre of the scow, reached the landing-place below the
Fort. Here were collected several of the women of the
company, and among them Mrs. Elmsley, who had come down
to meet and welcome those for whose reception she had
made every provision the hurried notice she had received
would permit. The young officer had been the first to
step on shore, and after he had whispered something in
her ear, she for a moment communicated with the group of
women--then advanced to meet Miss Heywood, whom her lover
was now handing from the scow. She embraced her with a
tenderness so unusually affectionate, that a vague
consciousness of the true cause flashed across the mind
of the anxious girl, recalling back all that inward grief
of soul, which the deep emotion of an engrossing love
had for a time absorbed.
In less than half-an-hour the fugitives were installed
in the council hall, and in another small apartment,
dividing it from the rooms occupied by the Elmsleys. The
ensign, having seen that all was arranged in a suitable
manner in the former, went out to the parade-ground,
leaving the ladies in charge of their amiable hostess,
and of the women she had summoned to assist in bearing
the latter into the Fort.
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