Despard, the Spy: Or, The Fall of Montreal — page 95: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

_ THE RANGERS. 98 those happy days in Normandy. Speak, and tell me that I do not dream, and a life of agony is atoned for, in the bliss of this moment.” “ Hold me close to your heart, Charles, We will never be parted again.” It was a strange mecting. In the darkness, upon the flowing river, he held the woman he so tenderly loved even when he thought she lay in her grave, close to his beating heart. The sorrow of the past was all forgotten then, The men in the boat kept silence. Though but rough border men, they recognized in this the work of the Deity we all adore, “Qars,” said Wilton. “ We ‘have trouble ahead, Keep your rifles handy. I don’t like those rockets. If the Gov- emnor only could get a chance to hang me to-night, I think he would be content to give up the city to-morrow, Ha; there acinoe. Into her !” : fia They bent to their oars, There was a crash, and the stout bateau glided over the demolislied canoe, leaving the, occu- vants struggling in the river. A wild shout from the rangers hitested their triumph. It was of short duration, however. The stream below them seemed to be alive with lights, and they knew that ther retreat was cut off below. It was hard. Not half-a-mile now intervened between them and the troops of the English, who were camped upon the.island, under the lead of Colonel Haviland. The spy had known that they were near at hand, but had not thought them so near as tis. All the tumult and disnr- ray he had seen that night were caused by the entrance into the city of M. de Bourlemaque, at the head of the forces which had been forced back by the coming of Murray and Jord Rollo, On the other hand, Haviland had forced De Bourgain- _ Ville into the city from the other side; and sixteen thousand men now lay camped about the city walls, Montreal was doomed. Nearly frantic. with rage at the great loss which was com: ing upon France, the leading men in Montreal cared more for the taking of these spies than they would have done under any other circumstances. The river was lined with troops. The woods were Tull of Indians. In this extremity, they Ccomicloooks.G©