"Well, if any of you have letters you want to write to friends
in England I should advise you to take the opportunity; mind, I
don't think they will ever get them. Forster may get through, but
I consider the chances strongly against it. For a ride of ten miles
through a country swarming with foes I could choose no messenger I
would rather trust, but for a ride like this, that requires patience
and caution and resource, he is not the man I should select. Bathurst
would have succeeded almost certainly if he had once got out. The
two men are as different as light to dark; one possesses just the
points the other fails in. I have no one at home I want to write
to, so I will undertake the watch here."
CHAPTER XVII.
The men on descending from the roof found all the ladies engaged
in writing, the Major having told them that there was a chance of
their letters being taken out. Scarce one looked up as they entered;
their thoughts at the moment were at home with those to whom they
were writing what might well be their last farewells. Stifled sobs
were heard in the quiet room; mournful letters were blurred with
tears even from eyes that had not before been dimmed since the
siege began.
Isobel Hannay was the first to finish, for her letter to her mother
was but a short one. As she closed it she looked up. Captain Forster
was standing at the other side of the table with his eyes fixed on
her, and he made a slight gesture to her that he wished to speak
to her.
Pages:
346
347
348
349
350
351
352
353
354
355
356
357
358
359
360
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370