rt, who alone remained cold and unconcerned, retired from it
as soon as possible, and resumed the guidance of his little bark, which
had safely borne him on many a solitary voyage. The chant of his matin
hymn rose, at intervals, on the fitful breeze; and Stanhope watched him
till he disappeared behind the point of land round which he had followed
him on the preceding day.

La Tour, convinced that all the force which he could at present command
was insufficient to contend with D'Aulney, whose strength had been
greatly, though perhaps without design, misrepresented to him, ordered
the sails to be set for a homeward voyage; and, before sunrise, the
shores of Penobscot were left far behind them.

The remainder of the night, which succeeded La Tour's release, was
passed by Madame d'Aulney, in a state of morbid excitement. She watched
alone by the side of her sleeping infant, and even maternal solicitude
was, for a time, suspended by the intense interest, which her own
perilous adventure, and the safety of La Tour awakened. She felt that
she had done a deed, for which, if by any chance discovered, she could
never hope to obtain forgiveness from her incensed husband. Still, her
conscience acquitted her of any motive criminal in its nature, or
traitorous to his real interest; and the reflection that it had been in
her power to confer an essential benefit on the man whom she had once
deeply, though most unintentionally, injured, was inexpressibly soothing
to her feelings. She counted the moments, which seemed to linger in
their flight, and started at the slightest sound, till sufficient time
had elapsed to convince her that he must have proceeded far on his way,
towards a place of safety.

The dreaded discovery was indeed deferred beyond her utmost
expectations. The guard, who was to relieve Antoine, repaired to his
post at the appointed time; and, though surprised to find it vacated,
yet as the door was perfectly secure, he contented himself with uttering
an oath at his comrade's negligence, and in a few moments it was almost
forgotten. An hour or more passed away, and no motion was heard within;
morning advanced--he thought it strange that his prisoner should enjoy
such sound repose, and a suspicion of the truth began to dawn upon his
mind. He unbarred the door, and his suspicions were, of course,
instantly realized. Repenting the easy faith which had suffered him to
delay an examination, he hastened to impart the intelligen