“Bravo, Valletort,” said Charles de Haldimar, recovering his spirits, as much from the idea, now occurring to him, that this might indeed be the stranger whose appearance had so greatly disturbed his father, as from the gratification he felt in the praises bestowed on his friend.  “Bravo, my dear fellow;” then approaching, and in a half whisper, “when next I write to Clara, I shall request her, with my cousin’s assistance, to prepare a chaplet of bays, wherewith I shall myself crown you as their proxy.  But what is the matter now, Valletort?  Why stand you there gazing upon the common, as if the victim of your murderous aim was rising from his bloody couch, to reproach you with his death?  Tell me, shall I write to Clara for the prize, or will you receive it from her own hands?”

“Bid her rather pour her curses on my head; and to those, De Haldimar, add your own,” exclaimed Sir Everard, at length raising himself from the statue-like position he had assumed.  “Almighty God,” he pursued, in the same tone of deep agony, “what have I done?  Where, where shall I hide myself?”

As he spoke he turned away from his companions, and covering his eyes with his hand, with quick and unequal steps, even like those of a drunken man, walked, or rather ran, along the rampart, as if fearful of being overtaken.

The whole group of officers, and Charles de Haldimar in particular, were struck with dismay at the language and action of Sir Everard; and for a moment they fancied that fatigue, and watching, and excitement, had partially affected his brain.  But when, after the lapse of a minute or two, they again looked out upon the common, the secret of his agitation was too faithfully and too painfully explained.

What had at first the dusky and dingy hue of a half-naked Indian, was now perceived, by the bright beams of light just gathering in the east, to be the gay and striking uniform of a British officer.  Doubt as to who that officer was there could be none, for the white sword-belt suspended over the right shoulder, and thrown into strong relief by the field of scarlet on which it reposed, denoted the wearer of this distinguishing badge of duty to be one of the guard.

To comprehend effectually the feelings of the officers, it would be necessary that one should have been not merely a soldier, but a soldier under the same circumstances.  Surrounded on every hand by a fierce and cruel enemy—­prepared at every moment to witness scenes of barbarity and bloodshed in their most appalling shapes—­isolated from all society beyond the gates of their own fortress, and by consequence reposing on and regarding each other as vital links in the chain of their wild and adventurous existence,—­it can easily be understood with what sincere and unaffected grief they lamented the sudden cutting off even of those who least assimilated in spirit and character with themselves.  Such, in a great degree, had been the case in the instance of the officer over whose