"That he is still dead?" said Frankfort; and, in the bitterness of his heart, he added, "Would to Heaven he were!" The next moment he prayed God to forgive him, and, burying his face in his hands, groaned aloud. "She believes," replied Ormsby, "that he has again escaped." "Lady Amabel arrived!" exclaimed Sir Adrian, in great surprise, as Mr Trail entered Colonel Graham's tent with the information. "Arrived--impossible! have you seen her?" "I have, sir." "Now, then, thank Heaven," said Sir Adrian! "had I known yesterday that my wife was travelling, I should have been less able for the work I had before me. Mr Trail, it may be well to inform you that, in spite of this calm, which apparently pervades the whole of Kafirland, the Gaika warriors are assembling in the mountains, and my trusty Fingoes have warned me that they are meditating an attack on the camp. I have long had the idea that Sir John Manvers was not so prepared for mischief as myself and I hastened hither; but I have distributed my forces I hope advantageously; and although we may not keep the enemy out altogether, we may check his advance, and meet it with caution. It is time that I conferred with Sir John: it is strange that I should have received no message from him." The three gentlemen left the marquee. Colonel Graham bent his way to the tents of his regiment; the other two directed their steps to the canvas pavilion. A military surgeon met them at the door--dismay was painted on his face. General Manvers lay as dead upon his camp bedstead--his jaw dropped, his cheek sunken, his eyes glaring and fixed. He had been found in this state by his servant. The document relative to Lyle was crushed between his fingers. While Sir Adrian stood beside this rigid object of despair, the eyelids quivered, a faint sigh stole from the blue parted lips, and some low words were breathed, not uttered, but Sir Adrian distinguished them. "My son! my son!--my first-born! Save my miserable son Jasper!" The sudden surprise of seeing Sir Adrian Fairfax caused the unfortunate man to start up; he was bewildered--looked first at one, and then at the other, of the two kind men who leaned over him. The surgeon was utterly in the dark as to the cause of this sudden seizure. Greatly disturbed at what he saw, deeply anxious about his wife, and keenly alive to the responsibilities of his command, Sir Adrian was anxious to withdraw, but Sir John held him firmly by the hand. "Fairfax," said the latter, "I _must_ speak with you alone."