"How very fortunate," said Herbert, as he rode on, "that I happened to
be at the General's quarters to receive these letters just when I did;
for if they had been sent to Colonel Le Noir's quarters or to Captain
Z.'s, poor Traverse would never have heard of them. However, I shall
not distract Traverse's attention by showing him these letters until he
has told me the full history of his arrest, for I wish him to give me a
cool account of the whole thing, so that I may know if I can possibly
serve him. Ah, it is very unlikely that any power of mine will be able
to save him if indeed, and in truth, he did sleep upon his post,"
ruminated Herbert, as he rode up to the tent where the prisoner was
confined.
Another pair of sentinels were on duty in place of those who had
refused him admittance.
He alighted from his horse, was challenged, showed his order, and
passed into the tent.
There a sight met him that caused the tears to rush to his eyes--for
the bravest is always the tenderest heart.
Thrown down on the mat at the back of the tent lay Traverse Rocke,
pale, haggard and sunken in the deep, deep sleep of utter exhaustion.
Even in that state of perfect abandonment, prostration and
insensibility, the expression of great mental anguish remained upon his
deathly countenance; a mortal pallor overspread his face; his thick,
black curls, matted with perspiration, clung to his hollow temples and
cheeks; great drops of sweat beaded upon his corrugated brow; a quiver
convulsed his mouth and chin; every circumstance betrayed how severely,
even in that swoon-like state, he suffered.
Herbert drew a camp-stool and sat down beside his mat, resolving not to
break that greatly needed rest, but to wait patiently until the sleeper
should awake.
Again, I say that I know nothing about mesmerism, but I have seen
strange effects produced quite unconsciously by the presence of one
person upon another. And in a few minutes after Herbert took his seat
beside Traverse, it was noticeable that the face of the sleeper lost
its look of pain, and his rest grew deep and calm.
Herbert sat watching that pale, calm, intellectual face, thanking
heaven that his mother, in her distant home, knew nothing of her boy's
deadly peril and praying heaven that its justice might be vindicated in
the deliverance of this victim from the snares of those who sought his
life.
For more than an hour longer Traverse slept the deep sleep of
exhaustion, and then calmly awoke. On seeing Herbert sitting beside
him, he smiled sadly, saying: "You here, Herbert? How kind of you to come. Well, Herbert, you see
they have succeeded, as I knew they would. That was what I wished to
tell you about when I was abruptly ordered away. I do believe it was
done on purpose to prevent my telling you. I really think I have been
surrounded by spies to report and distort every word and look and
gesture. If our company had only watched the enemy with half the
vigilance with which they watched me, that party of emigrants would not
have been cut off on the plains."