Then
commenced the burial service, which was read by the young
officer in a slow and impressive tone, and by the light
of the shaded lantern, which, falling obliquely upon the
forms of the men, discovered them standing around the
grave--one foot resting on the edge--the other drawn
back, as they awaited the signal to lower their almost
offensive burden into its last resting-place. At length
the prayers for the dead were ended, and the grave was
carefully filled up, leaving as before, no inequality,
but too deep to attract the scent of Loup Garou. Then
after having dug up a few small roots of the sweet briar,
and placed them at intervals on the newly-turned earth.
Ronayne crossed with his little party to the Fort, glad
to obtain a few hours of that repose, for which the
harassing events of the day had so much predisposed him.
CHAPTER XIII.
The fourth of July 1812, was a more than usual gala-day
in the little Fort of Chicago, for in addition to the
National Jubilee, there was to be celebrated one of a
private, yet not less interesting nature. On that evening
Ensign Ronayne was to espouse, in the very room in which
he had first been introduced to her the woman he had so
long and so ardently loved, and who, her mother having
after a severe struggle become convalescent, had conformably
to her promise, yielded a not reluctant consent to his
proposal that this day of general joy, should be that of
the commencement of their own happiness.
Pages:
246
247
248
249
250
251
252
253
254
255
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270