Sustained honor: The Age of Liberty Established

  CHAPTER XVIII.

  THE SAVING SHOT.

  Little or nothing could be done by Captain Stevens that night. His menwere exhausted, and threw themselves down anywhere and everywhere. Theproprietor of the tavern took Fernando, Sukey, Terrence and LieutenantWillard of the marines to his house, where they were furnished beds andslept soundly.

  The morning of September 14, 1814, came. Fernando, at his request, wasawakened early, and with Lieutenant Willard went out to examine the fortand artillery. It was scarcely daylight when they mounted the works andgazed off the bay. They could not see as far as Duck and Mud Islands,and sat down upon the gun carriages to await the rising of the sun.

  A hundred stalwart Marylanders came from their houses with axes, picksand shovels, ready to resume work on the redoubt.

  "Lieutenant Willard." said Fernando, "your judgment is perhaps betterthan mine. Will you give these men direction in regard to the works?"

  Lieutenant Willard mounted the earthworks and walked along the entireline, closely inspecting them and directing the improvement of what wasalready quite a formidable fortification.

  The guns were next examined and changed so as to more completely sweepthe bay. While the lieutenant was doing this, Fernando, with three orfour fishermen went down to the water with a glass to take a look forthe _Xenophon_. She could be seen still anchored off Mud Island.

  "The vind be strong off shore," said Tris Penrose the Cornish fisherman."Aw, she cannot sail in the teeth o' it."

  "How far is it to Mud Island?" asked Fernando.

  "It be about five mile," the fisherman answered.

  "I am going out to that headland!" he said pointing to the rockypromontory.

  "It be dangerous, Capen; the ship's big guns, they reach to theheadland;" but Fernando insisted on being rowed to the headland, andfour fishermen, including Tris Penrose, took him to it in a boat. Thememories this early morning visit awoke in his breast are indescribable.Years seemed to have been rolled back, and he was once more withMorgianna, within the pale of hope. Ascending the promontory, he saw the_Xenophon_ lying at anchor not over three or four miles away. Two boatsloaded down with marines put off from the ship and rowed to the pointof land half a mile away. There they landed, formed, and marched toreinforce Matson on the neck of the peninsula. Three hundred men and twosmall cannon were now on land.

  Fernando went back, convinced that for some hours at least the attackwould be delayed. Lieutenant Willard was working with a will tostrengthen the redoubt. Bomb-proof apartments were made for the womenand children. They were still uncertain of the fate of Baltimore, andknew that the whole coast was threatened by the British fleet.

  While sitting at breakfast, Fernando received a note from Captain Laneinforming him that a sudden attack of rheumatism prevented him fromleaving his bed, and asked him to call at the house if he wished toconsult him. Never in his life was Fernando more glad to receive asummons, and never did he so dread answering it.

  "I am foolish!" he thought. "She cares nothing for me. She has told meas much, and she cannot have changed her mind. I will go, but as thecommandant and not as a supplicant--or lover."

  Fernando was in the uniform of a captain of infantry of 1812, thehandsomest uniform ever adopted by the American army. His dark bluecoat, buttoned to his chin, his sash, his belt and gilt sword, hischapeau-bras with flowing plume, set off his manly form.

  Fernando, as he ascended the path to the house, did not dream that hewas heroic or fine-looking.

  When he reached the house, he paused a moment on the piazza, just as hehad on that evening five years before, to school his rebellious heart.To his knock a servant answered, and he was hurried up to the room ofCaptain Lane. At every corner he expected Morgianna; but she did notappear. Perhaps she was with her father; but no, the captain was alone.

  "It's too bad, Captain Stevens," the old sea-dog declared. "Here I amwith this infernal rheumatism holding me down like an anchor, when weare threatened with a squall."

  "Don't trouble yourself, captain," said Fernando. "I fancy there areyoung men enough to fight our battles."

  "But one likes to have a hand in such affairs, you know."

  "Certainly, but don't worry yourself. The wind is still off shore, andthe bay is so narrow that, unless they get out a warp, they cannot haulin the _Xenophon_."

  "I have wondered they did not do that before," said the old sailor. "Itcould be done."

  "Perhaps they have some other plan. They landed a hundred more men thismorning."

  "They can't be going to make a land attack."

  "No, the land forces are to cut off retreat."

  "It's that infernal Matson--Lieutenant Matson--curse him! He is the sonof my friend; but I say curse him, for all that!" cried the old sea-dog,his face expressing mingled rage and agony.

  "Is he in command?" asked Fernando. Before either could speak, a lighttread warned Fernando that a third person had entered the room. Hestarted to his feet and, turning about, bowed to Morgianna.

  "Captain Stevens, I am proud to welcome you back to Mariana; but I amsorry it could not have been under other circumstances." She wasbeautiful--more beautiful than when he left; but there was not expressedby either voice, eye, or flushed cheek any symptom of a more tenderregard than friendship. Fernando had so schooled himself, that, as hetook her hand, he said in a most commonplace manner:

  "I was sent here, Miss Lane. I am a soldier, and wherever duty calls, Igo, be it pleasant or unpleasant."

  Morgianna was not prepared for this. The cool, off-hand manner seemed tohardly indicate the respect of friendship. Her face grew deathly palefor a moment, and she almost ceased breathing; but she gained herself-control, and, in a tone as commonplace and cool as his own, hopedhe was well and that he would not be killed in the coming struggle. Thecoming struggle with the _Xenophon_ was nothing compared to his presentstruggle. Fernando still loved Morgianna. Five years had only added tothe intensity of his love; but he had once made a simpleton of himself,and he determined not to do so again. Thus two hungry souls, thirstingfor each other's love, acted the cold part of casual acquaintances.Could the veil have been lifted, could the barriers have been brokendown, what misery might have been spared! but it is ever thus. Humanityis contradictory and the heart's impulses are held in check.

  "Miss Lane, this house cannot be a safe place in the coming struggle,"said Fernando. "We have prepared bomb-proof shelters for the women andchildren, and I hope you will accept refuge in one."

  She said something about her father.

  "He shall be cared for. I hope you will let me send a sergeant with adozen men to convey you both to a place of safety."

  She assented, and he left. Her face was still white, her chin wasquivering, and her eyes were growing moist.

  "What's the matter, Morgianna?" asked Captain Lane.

  She did not venture an answer, but running to her own room, fell weepingon the couch.

  "After five long years, to return so changed--so cold--oh, God, thispunishment is greater than I can bear!" she sobbed.

  By the middle of the afternoon, the wind changed slightly, shifting tothe northeast, and some activity was evinced on board the _Xenophon_.Fernando thought longer delay was dangerous. Captain Lane and hisdaughter, with all other women and children, were conveyed to thebomb-proof houses, which had been constructed for them. He was so busyall that day, that he only caught an occasional glimpse of Morgianna.

  When night came, the _Xenophon_ had left her moorings, and Fernandopredicted she would be brought in broadside to begin the cannonade atdaybreak. He retired to his bed at eleven o'clock and at four LieutenantWillard came to him and said: "Captain, the wind has shifted due east."

  "How is the night?"

  "Dark and cloudy."

  "Can anything be seen of the _Xenophon_?"

  "No."

  "Send a dozen men to the promontory and build a fire. The light wouldshow her to us."

  A dozen bold fishermen, who knew the coast well, went out
in theirboats, hugging the rocky shore until the promontory was gained, andgathering up great heaps of driftwood on the edge of the bluff, set iton fire, and pulled back.

  As the flames shot up, they revealed the _Xenophon_ slowly and carefullyfeeling her way into the bay. Not a shot was fired, for she wasstill far away.

  Thus the night wore on. Day began to dawn slowly, and as the first lightfell on bay and sea it revealed the dread enemy lying like a monstersea-bird in the bay, not a mile away.

  The _Xenophon_ was in no hurry to commence. She had her prey so thatthere was no possible chance of escape, and the officers and men atebreakfast and walked about the deck, talking and joking on the workbefore them. Through a powerful glass, which Captain Lane furnished him,Fernando recognized Captain Snipes standing on the quarter deck,smoking a cigar.

  Fernando had the guns loaded and shotted. They were sighted and readywhen the _Xenophon_ should take the initiative.

  "Say, Capen, dat Britisher doan git dis chile no more," said Job. "Ican't find my real massa, but, by golly, I've saved up fifty dollars tobuy a new one, 'fore I go for to be a Britisher agin."

  Before Fernando could answer, Sukey came running along the breastworkand said:

  "Fernando! Fernando--he is there! Captain Snipes is aboard that ship!"

  Sukey's face was deathly white, and his fingers convulsively clutchedthe air as if grasping at an imaginary throat.

  Fernando was standing on the parapet, when a wreath of smoke curled upfrom the ship's side, followed by the boom of a heavy gun, and a ballcame whizzing through the air, and struck the breastwork.

  It was nine minutes after ten o'clock when the first shot was fired.This shot was the signal for a broadside, and a shower of balls withthree or four shells came screaming through the air striking the wallsof the fort, or exploding over it. One of the shells buried itself inthe sand but a few feet from Fernando, and burst, scattering sand andgravel over him.

  "Fire!" cried Fernando, without moving from his position.

  Immediately the thirty-two pounder and four smaller guns belched forthfire and thunder. Fernando watched the effect through the glass. Thethirty-two went wild, and the shots from the smaller pieces fell short.He turned and gave some instructions to the gunners, while a shell camescreaming over his head and burst a short distance away, killing one ofthe marines.

  "Fernando, there ain't no need of you standing up there!" cried Sukey."You ain't in the game, till we get near enough to use rifles."

  "Divil a bit will the blackguards iver come near enough for that," criedTerrence, boldly mounting the breastwork. "Captain, lave me have asquint through yer glass," and Terrence, assuming a liberty which heonly could, took the glass from his hand. The screaming shell andwhistling shot continued to come from the _Xenophon_. "Faith, thim beesbuzz nicely round a fellow's ears," added Terrence.

  Fernando seized his glass, when the thirty-two was again sighted andfixed it on the ship. As the heavy boom shook the earth, he saw a greatsplash of water twelve feet from the bow.

  "Let some one else train the gun," he cried. "You miss the mark."

  All appeals to Fernando to come down from his dangerous position wereunavailing. His anxiety to pierce the _Xenophon_ with the thirty-twokept him on the parapet directing the gunners, while balls and shellsshrieked about him. Job tried three shots; but only one did any injury,and that was some insignificant damage to the rigging. Fernando saw atonce their disadvantage.

  "Oh, if we only had one experienced gunner, he would drive the shipfrom the harbor," he thought.

  Lieutenant Willard tried three or four shots, and one struck the bow.With glass in hand, Fernando remained on the earthworks, watching theeffect of their balls and giving orders to the gunners, while balls andshells flew screaming around him. One shell exploded near the embrasureof one of the smaller guns killing one and wounding four. As yet, theyhad not touched one of the enemy, and the young commandant waschagrined, anxious and annoyed. He lost his temper and raved at thegunners, who were doing their best. They lacked science.

  His brave riflemen stood under the earthworks, grasping their guns whichwere useless now, while they lamented that the Britons were notin range.

  Officers, citizens and even privates implored Fernando to come down. Ashell exploded in the air, and a piece grazed his shoulder, yet he kepthis place on the rampart. Terrence Malone, who could see no reason forcourting death, had sought shelter behind a gun carriage. Fernando'sanxiety and mortification increased as he witnessed the repeatedfailures of his gunners to hull the _Xenophon_. Amid smoke, dust andwhizzing missiles, he kept his post. The thunder of guns, the whizzingballs, and shrieking shells were unheard in his great anxiety to defeatthe British.

  Suddenly a hand clutched his arm, and a silvery voice, which herecognized in an instant, cried:

  "This is folly! Come down--come down from this certain death!"

  "Morgianna, you here!" he cried. "For Heaven's sake, go to thebomb-proof shelter. You must not expose yourself here."

  "I will not go a step until you come from the rampart." She clung tohim, and appealed so earnestly, the tears of anxiety and fear startingfrom her eyes, while her white, pleading face was upturned to his, thathe could not deny her. All other appeals had been unheeded, butMorgianna's he could not refuse.

  A wild cheer went up from the Americans within the fort as Morgiannadescended from the redoubt with the daring captain. He hurried her awayto the bomb-shelter, where her father lay raging and fuming, because hisinfirmity would not allow him to take part in the contest. Fernandoobtained a promise from Morgianna that she would not venture from theshelter, by promising in return to keep off the redoubt.

  The British shells were telling on the American fort. Though the wallswere strong and resisted their balls, several men had fallen beneaththeir shells. Two solid shot and one shell struck Captain Lane'selegant mansion on the hill, fired from spite, as the house was farremoved from the fort, and no one was near it. A cannon-ball entered thegreat, broad bay window overlooking the sea, made a wreck of thefurniture in the parlor, crashed through the wall, shivering a tallmirror and spreading havoc in the room beyond.

  The siege continued all day long, and late in the afternoon, just onehour before sunset, the redcoats appeared on the wooded hill back of thetown, and opened fire with two small pieces and muskets. Fernando'sriflemen had been waiting for this, and, with wild yells, they leapedthe redoubts, deployed along the stone fences and houses and picked offthe redcoats so rapidly, that they fled pell mell to their own works,glad to escape the bullets of those unerring riflemen.

  The cannonade kept up until long after midnight. The sky was ablaze withcircling shells, and the headlands reverberated with tenthousand echoes.

  All the guns in the fort save the thirty-two were silent, for thesmaller cannon at that range were useless. The soldiers in the fort layon their arms, and Fernando slept none. With anxious face he went therounds of the fort, occasionally watching through an embrasure the shipbeyond and the circling shells. During the night, three more of theirnumber were killed and six wounded, while as yet they had done theenemy no hurt.

  Shortly after midnight, the firing grew slower and an hour later ceasedaltogether. Morning dawned slowly, and the flag still floated over thebadly battered fort. A sullen, gloomy silence had fallen over theofficers and men. They watched the enemy, who at daylight began to warpthe ship in a little nearer, that her guns might be more effective.Fernando was silent and his brow dark. There seemed but one thingpossible and that was defeat. Reinforcements need not be expected.

  The _Xenophon_ came a little nearer to shore, then let go her anchorsagain and lay broadside to the fort. It was quite evident that she wasafraid to come too close, lest some blundering shot would strike her.All of a sudden, a sheet of flame and cloud of smoke from her sideconcealed the ship from view, and balls once more rained about the fort.The fire this day was more destructive than on the preceding. One housewithin the enclosure was completely battered do
wn. The church which hadbeen converted into a hospital was set on fire. Fernando discovered itin flames and ran thither to hurry out the wounded. Entering the burningbuilding, through which a shell went screaming, he was horror-strickenand amazed to find Morgianna at one of the bunks, binding up the woundsof a sufferer.

  "Morgianna, Morgianna!" he cried, "why do you risk your life here?"

  "There is suffering and death here!" she answered. "Am I better thanthose who risk their lives for me?"

  "Morgianna, you must not, yours is no common life--" he began. In theexcitement of the moment he almost forgot himself. She was about toanswer, when he said, "Noble woman! do not, for Heaven's sake, runneedless danger."

  They hurried the wounded from the burning building. Another house, lowerdown the hill, was also on fire. It was so near to the great gun, thatthe heat almost blistered the men who worked it, and for awhile theirmagazine was in great peril.

  The soldiers did all in their power to extinguish the flames; but bothchurch and house burned to the ground.

  Night came once more, and the Americans were reduced to the soreststraits. Soon after dark, the cannonading ceased and a silence of deathfell over the fort, broken only by the groans of some poor, woundedfellow. The people within the fort went about talking in whispers. Threebodies, which they had not had time to bury, lay, stark and silent underthe shed, and there were nine fresh graves on the hillside. Inaddition, more than thirty of the defenders were disabled from wounds.

  Captain Stevens, Sukey, Terrence and Lieutenant Willard were holding aconsultation in a room of the old tavern. Lieutenant Willard said:

  "Captain Stevens, there is no other alternative, we must surrender. Tohold out longer is murder. If we had a few competent gunners we mightdrive her away, but with our inexperienced men, we are wastingammunition and life to resist."

  "There is one chance," said Fernando. "Perhaps we could carry the shipby the board."

  "By the board! divil a bit!" put in Terrence. "Why they'd sink us allbefore we could get within a hundred yards of the plagued ship."

  Sukey, remembering that Captain Snipes, his avowed enemy, was on boardthe _Xenophon_, was eager to make the effort to carry her by the board.

  "It will be a desperate undertaking," said Lieutenant Willard. "If wehad sailors instead of riflemen it might be done very easily; but it isa desperate chance; yet we are in a desperate situation."

  "And faith ye'll come to a desperate end, if ye thry to carry that shipby the board," interrupted Terrence.

  Fernando mustered three hundred men and, ascertaining there were boatsto take them to the _Xenophon_, was about to give the orders to marchto the water, when, suddenly, volley after volley of muskets and pistolsrang out from the ship. The Americans had passed from the works and weredrawn up on the sands. When they heard the firing at the _Xenophon_,they came to a halt, to guess and wonder at the cause.

  It was decided to march the men by a round-about course to thepromontory and embark in boats for the ship. By doing this, they couldcome upon the vessel from the side opposite to the fort, and effect amore complete surprise. Two dozen bold fishermen were entrusted to takethe boats along the rocky shore to the point of embarkation. The nightwas quite dark, and, the water rough, so it required great skill toaccomplish this difficult feat.

  Fernando and his troops had gained the neck of land reaching to thepromontory, and, fearing that the enemy might have landed a force there,and that they would be drawn into an ambuscade, he halted his troops ina dense growth of wood and left them with Lieutenant Willard, while he,with Sukey, Terrence and Job, crept forward to reconnoitre. They hadalmost reached the promontory, and, convinced that there was no one inambush, were about to return to the main force, when suddenly an objectpresented itself to their eyes, which absolutely rooted them to thespot. At about twenty or thirty yards distant, where but the momentbefore the long line of horizon terminated the view, there now stood astrange figure, which might be six and might be twelve feet in height.It had evidently risen up out of the ground and was floating in the air,as there seemed to be nothing to connect it with the earth. There was abody of spotless white, an obscure mass which might be a head, and twolong, white, straight arms, spread apart like a cross. This strangecreature was advancing toward them.

  "Oh, golly! massa, look ye dar! dat am a ghost!" whispered the darkey.

  "A banshee, begorra!" said Terrence.

  Fernando was impressed that the strange vision was the result of someEnglish trickery, while Sukey, cocking his gun, declared:

  "If it's mortal, I'll soon make it immortal."

  "Hold, Sukey!" whispered Fernando, "let us see what it is before youfire."

  "Golly! massa, it am comin' dis way!"

  Fernando could see that the object, with its strange incongruous head,its long arms, of which it now seemed to have three or four, wasadvancing toward them over the uneven ground; and he gave the order tofall back until they were nearer the troops.

  When within about one hundred paces, Fernando made a stand and cried:

  "Halt!"

  This was the first word uttered loud enough to reach the strangefour-armed, one-headed, but legless spectre. It produced a wonderfuleffect, for the odd figure wheeled about and started off at somethinglike a run. Sukey brought his gun to his shoulder and fired.

  The report of the gun was the signal for the riflemen under LieutenantWillard to charge, and all gave chase to the spectre.

  "Don't fire another shot!" cried Fernando. The spectre had not gone ahundred paces, before it stumbled over a loose stone and fell. In amoment, Terrence Malone had seized it and cried:

  "Huzzah! boys, I've caught the divil himsilf."

  The spectre proved to be a very material like person in the form of atall sailor with a white jacket and cap and blue trousers. Hissuperabundance of arms could be accounted for by the long, white oar,which he had been carrying on his shoulder, and which he explained washis only weapon, offensive or defensive.

  "Where are you from?" asked Fernando.

  "I am from his majesty's frigate _Xenophon_," he answered.

  "Are you a deserter?" asked Fernando.

  "Yes, sir; I am an American by birth, and will die before I raise myhand against my country. To-day, because I refused to work at the guns,I was arrested, to be flogged in the morning, hung or shot at thepleasure of Captain Snipes."

  "I believe I know that voice--" began Captain Stevens.

  "Holy golly! it am Massa St. Mark!" yelled a voice behind them, and Jobtore his way through the crowd and, flinging his arms about the sailor,cried: "Massa St. Mark! Massa St. Mark! am it you?"

  "Faith, it's the best gunner in the British navy!" cried Terrence.

  Fernando had no trouble in recognizing in the stranger the gentlemanlygunner of the _Macedonian_, who had saved him from being flogged.Terrence, Fernando, Job and Sukey crowded about the newcomer and for amoment plied him with questions. He explained that, having slipped hishandcuffs, he rushed on deck, seized the oar, which he still carried,knocked down two sentries and leaped overboard. They fired a hundredshots at him; but, being an excellent swimmer, and the night being dark,he managed to escape. Lying on his back, holding to the oar, he watchedfor the flash of their guns and pistols, and, when they fired, duckedhis head under the water.

  The appearance of Mr. Hugh St. Mark naturally caused anotherconsultation. He discouraged their desperate attempt to carry the shipby the board, and Fernando, after sending six fishermen to the headlandto acquaint their companions there with the change, marched with hisforce back to the fort. An hour later the others came.

  When day dawned, the _Xenophon_ renewed her cannonading. Mr. Hugh St.Mark was given charge of the thirty-two, and after carefully measuringthe distance with an experienced eye, he weighed the powder and loadedthe gun. Fernando watched the flight of the first ball, which wentwhizzing over the leeward rail across the deck and out at the oppositeport into the sea. The second shot cut some of the rigging. The Britishsupposed
those two shots accidents, but after the third, they wereconvinced that there was an experienced hand at the gun.

  Fernando, in his anxiety to mark the effect of the third shot, forgothis promise to Morgianna and, with the glass in hand, mounted therampart. The heavy boom of the cannon shook sea and shore. There was noneed of a glass to mark the effects. The ball crashed through from sideto side sending the splinters flying in every direction. A wild cheerrose from the fort, and Fernando saw five or six carried below the deck,while one of the guns was dismounted and useless. In a few seconds thegreat gun was again loaded. This, time the ball crashed through thehull. The fifth shot struck the mizzenmast about four feet above deck,and cut it almost away.

  "Victory is ours!" cried Fernando, waving his sword in the air.

  "Hurrah for ould Ireland and the United States foriver!" shoutedTerrence, leaping on the embankment, and dancing a jig. But the_Xenophon_ had not given up the contest yet. She continued to fire herballs and shells with murderous intent until the balls from St. Mark'sdirection had cut her mainmast down. It fell over on the lee sidedragging with it the fore mainstay and crippling the rigging to such anextent that Captain Snipes began to fear he could not get his vessel outof the harbor. The weight of the mainmast hanging over the side of thevessel was so great that the vessel heeled over to leeward. A dozencarpenters with axes flew to cut away the wreck and the shiprighted herself.

  While others were rejoicing, Hugh St. Mark was busy sending ball afterball crashing into the _Xenophon_ as if he had many old scores tosettle. Sukey, who stood by his side, said:

  "Mr. St. Mark, don't hit the captain--leave him for me."

  The wind and tide bore the _Xenophon_ to the mouth of the harbor justbeyond the point of Duck Island, where she was temporarily safe from theballs of the avenging thirty-two.

  It soon became evident that the land force under Lieutenant Matsonintended to march to the point of land, embark, and return to the ship.Fernando determined to spoil their plan. He mustered two hundred andfifty of his soldiers, marines and militia and started to head them off.Lieutenant Willard was left alone in charge of the fort.

  A villager who knew a nearer route guided them by it to a pass betweentwo hills, where the Britons would be compelled to march. Sukey andTerrence were sent forward to reconnoitre, and as they came in sight ofthe narrow valley surrounded by hills they saw the head of the column ofredcoats coming, their banner upheld to the breeze. Terrence wheelingabout, ran with all speed back to the advancing soldiers, and cried:

  "Come on, me boys! it's a divil's own time we'll have of it in thevalley, all to ourselves."

  "Halt! fix bayonets!" commanded Fernando. In a moment, the gleamingbayonets were on each gun. "Forward!--Double--Quick!"

  The soldiers, at a run, dashed into the valley just as the Britishappeared, two volleys delivered in quick succession and they were at itsteel to steel. Fernando, bareheaded, engaged a stout Briton in ahand-to-hand struggle, which a quick thrust from Sukey's bayonet ended.Next, Captain Stevens found himself hotly engaged with his old enemyLieutenant Matson. Their blades flashed angrily for a moment, but as thelieutenant's men threw down their arms and begged for quarters, herealized the folly of resisting longer and yielded. His stubborn pridemade the struggle hard. He offered his sword to his victor, which hepolitely declined.

  "Keep your sword, lieutenant," said Fernando. "Though you are my enemy,I trust you have not forgotten that you are a gentleman."

  "I trust not."

  "You shall be paroled as soon as we reach the fort."

  The Britons stacked their arms, and marched in double file under a guardto the fort. Oxen and carts were sent out for the arms and two pieces ofartillery which were brought into the fort.

  Silent and majestic as an uncrowned prince, seeming neither elated nordepressed by the victory, stood the gunner Hugh St. Mark by the side ofthe old thirty-two, with which he had fired the shots that savedthe fort.

  He was tall, straight, broad-shouldered, with hair once chestnut, butnow almost gray. His age might be anywhere between forty and fiftyyears. So calm, majestic and mysterious did he seem, as, with foldedarms, he stood gazing unconcernedly about him, that Fernando wasconstrained to ask himself:

  "Who is he?"