Matilda Montgomerie; Or, The Prophecy FulfilledRichardson, Major (John)
History
Matilda Montgomerie; Or, The Prophecy Fulfilled
Richardson, Major (John)
United States -- History -- War of 1812 -- Fiction
effectual in restoring the tone of Gerald's mind. There was,
consequently, much to please him in the order for departure. Miss
Montgomerie once landed within the American lines, and his brother
returned to his duty, the anxious soldier had no doubt that the feelings
of the latter would resume their wonted channel and that, in his desire
to render himself worthy of glory, to whom he had been originally
devoted, he would forget, at least after a season, all that was
connected with love.
It was a beautiful autumnal morning when the schooner weighed anchor
from Detroit. Several of the officers of the garrison had accompanied
the ladies on board, and having made fast their sailing boat to the
stern, loitered on deck with the intention of descending the river a few
miles, and then beating up against the current. The whole party were
thus assembled, conversing together and watching the movements of the
sailors, when a boat, in which were several armed men encircling a huge,
raw-boned individual, habited in the fashion of an American
backwoodsman, approached the vessel. This was no other than the traitor
Desborough, who, it will be recollected, was detained and confined in
prison at the surrender of Detroit. He had been put upon his trial for
the murder of Major Grantham, but had been acquitted through want of
evidence to convict, his own original admission being negatived by a
subsequent declaration that he had only made it through a spirit of
bravado and revenge. Still, as the charges of desertion and treason had
been substantiated against him, he was, by order of the commandant of
Amherstburgh, destined for Fort Erie, in the schooner conveying the
American party to Buffalo, with a view to his being sent on to the Lower
Province, there to be disposed of as the General Commanding in Chief
should deem fit.
The mien of the settler, as he now stepped over the vessel's side,
partook of the mingled cunning and ferocity by which he had formerly
been distinguished. While preparations were being made for his reception
and security below deck, he bent his sinister yet bold glance on each of
the little group in succession, as if he would have read in their
countenances the probable fate that awaited himself. The last who fell
under his scrutiny was Miss Montgomerie, on whom his eye had scarcely
rested when the insolent indifference of his manner seemed to give place
at once to a new feeling. There was intelligence enough in the glance of
both to show that an insensible interest had been created, and yet
neither gave the slightest indication by word of what was passing in the
mind.
"Well, Mister Jeremiah Desborough," said Middlemore, first breaking the
silence, and in the taunting mode of address he usually adopted towards
the settler, "I reckon as how you'll shoot no wild ducks this season, on
the Sandusky river--not likely to be much troubled with your small bores
now."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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