"I don't care," he said, roughly, possessing himself of her hand; "you've got to say something to me!" "I did," she returned, drawing away from him, "I told you somebody was coming. I think it's my relatives from Fort Wayne coming to take me back there." Ronald turned away, deeply pained, and the pathetic droop in his shoulders got safely through the thorns to the girl's heart. The cloud of dust came nearer and nearer, until at last the rider turned his foam-flecked horse and dashed up the esplanade to the Fort. Beatrice's temporary tenderness was obscured by curiosity, for the rider was an Indian, with the British flag girded at his loins. "Why," she said, in an odd little voice, "what has happened!" Ronald came swiftly toward her. "I don't know and I don't care," he said, in a voice she scarcely recognised; then he put his arm around her and drew her to him. "Beatrice, darling," he pleaded, "haven't you a word for me--don't you love me just the least little bit in the world?" Then the violet eyes looked up into his and the sweet lips quivered. "I--I don't know," she whispered brokenly; "please let me go!" His arms fell to his sides and she was free, but there was a lump in his throat and a wild hope in his heart. "My darling," he began, but she stopped him with a warning gesture. Forsyth was pulling across the river as if his life depended upon it, and for the first time they perceived that something was wrong. With his face white and every muscle of his body tense, he ran toward them. "What's up?" shouted Ronald. "Orders!" cried Forsyth, gasping for breath. "Fort Mackinac has fallen and we are ordered to evacuate the post!" CHAPTER XVII A COUNCIL OF WAR Forsyth had the second watch that night, and Mackenzie came out to join him. "I couldn't sleep," he said, in answer to Robert's question. "I don't know what we're coming to, but we mustn't frighten the women." "Of course I don't know anything about it," Robert returned, "but I must confess that I didn't like the looks of that Indian who brought the despatches." "He seemed fair enough, but you can't trust any of 'em and that's the whole truth of it. There's been some foul play somewhere, for he knew the purport of the order, and it strikes me that he had been a long time on the way." "What was it that he wanted you to tell Captain Franklin?" "He wanted me to find out whether the Captain intended to obey the order, and offered his advice to the contrary. He said the Fort was well supplied with ammunition and provisions--though it beats me to know where he found it out--and that it could be held until reinforcements arrived; but, if we decided to give up the post, it was better to go at once and leave everything standing. His idea was that the Indians would be so interested in plundering that they wouldn't follow us." "What did Franklin say?" "Nothing--he never says much, you know." "Who gave the order?" "General Hull--the Army of the North-west is at Detroit."