nature was
now asserting her needs. "I would learn all, horrible though it is.
Tell us--did Fort William Henry surrender?"

"Yes; there was nothing else for it. New batteries opened upon us,
as well as the old ones. There was a great breach in the wall which
could have been carried by assault at any moment, and our guns were
all burst, save a few of the smaller ones. They gave us lenient
terms. We were to march out with the honours of war, and keep one
of our guns; they were to give us safe escort to Fort Edward; we
were to take our baggage with us. The Marquis showed himself a
generous foe--of him we have reason to think well; but the Indians,
and even the Canadians--well. I will come to that in its turn.
Thank Heaven, I did not see too much; what I did see will haunt me
to my dying day!"

The lad's eyes dilated. It was terrible; but he wanted to hear all.

"All was arranged. The French soldiers marched in and took
possession. We marched out to the intrenched camp to join our
comrades there, who, of course, had been included in the
capitulation. In the charge of the French we left our sick, who
could not march. Hardly had we gone before the Indians swarmed in
in search of plunder, and finding little--for, as you know, there
was little to find--they instantly began to murder the sick,
rushing hither and thither, yelling wildly, waving scalps in their
hands!"

"And the French allowed it!" exclaimed Roche, setting his teeth
hard; for he had friends and comrades lying sick at the fort when
he left it.

"It was done so quickly they might not have known. One missionary
was there, and rushed hither and thither seeking to stay them; but
he might as well have spoken to the wild waves of the sea in a
storm. But that was not all. In an hour or so they were clamouring
and swarming all round the camp, and the French soldiers told off
for our protection either could not or would not keep them out.
Montcalm, in great anxiety, came over himself seeking to restore
order; but the Indians were drunk with blood, and would not listen
to him. He begged us to stave in our rum barrels, which was
instantly done; but the act provoked the savages, and they pounced
upon our baggage, which had been reserved to us by the terms of the
treaty. We appealed to the Marquis; but he advised us to give it
up.

"'I am doing all I can,' he said to Colonel Monro; 'but I shall be
only too happy if I can prevent a massacre!'"

"Horrible!" ejaculate