the country beyond. To communicate with Colonel
Montgomery as early as practicable is the only hope of saving our lives.
Mrs. MacLeod's sorties from the fort are a part of our scheme--the
essential part. You may yet come to think the dearest boon that fate
could have given her would have been a ball through her brain as she
stood on the escarp--so little her chances are worth!"

This plain disclosure staggered MacLeod. He had thought the place amply
victualed. A rising doubt of the officers' capacity to manage the
situation showed in his face.

Stuart interpreted the expression. "You see,--the instant disaster is
suggested you can't rely on us,--even you! And if that spirit were
abroad in the garrison and among the settlers, we should have a thousand
schemes in progress, manipulated by people not so experienced as we, to
save themselves first and--_perhaps_ the others. The ammunition might
be traded to the Cherokees for a promise of individual security. The
gates might be opened and the garrison delivered into the enemy's hands
by two or three as the price of their own lives. Such a panic or mutiny
might arise as would render a defense of the place impracticable, and
the fort be taken by storm and all put to the sword, or death by
torture. We are keeping our secret as well as we can, hoping for relief
from Montgomery, and scheming to receive assurance of it. We asked Mrs.
MacLeod's help, and she gave it!"

The logic of this appeal left MacLeod no reply. "How could you!" he only
exclaimed, glancing reproachfully at his wife.

"That is what I have always said," cried Stuart, gayly, perceiving that
the crisis was overpast. "How _could_ she!"

There was no more that Odalie could do, and that fact partially
reconciled the shuddering MacLeod to the past, although he felt he could
hardly face the ghastly front of the future. And he drew back wincingly
from the unfolding plans. As for Odalie, the next day she spent in her
room, the door barred, her hair tossed out of its wonted perfection of
array, her dress disordered, her face and eyes swollen with weeping, and
when she heard the great guns of the fort begin to send forth their
thunder, and the heavy shot crashing among the boughs of the forest
beyond, she fell upon her knees, then rose, wild and agitated, springing
to the door, yet no sooner letting down the bar than again replacing it,
to fall anew upon her knees and rise once more, too distraught for the
framing of a